Second Chances Part One
by sonofwolf
Summary: Starscream gets a chance to go back and do it all over. Ten bucks says he screws it up...again. This story includes tons of things that will most likely make you hate me, so don't read it if you can't take a mature fic.
1. Limbo

Chapter One: Limbo

The glowing ball of light moved slowly in its orbit about the steel, mechanical planet, as it had for millennia. It was not a star, and not a satellite, but the soul, the essence of a creature long dead, and yet, long undead.

Below it, time passed both slow and fast. The landscape of the planet changed rapidly and strangely; first it grew, giving birth to steel and crystalline spires and walkways, then it was destroyed, bursting in the fires of war, only to be rebuilt, only to be destroyed again. Old cities were destroyed and new ones were built with their recycled scrap.

The light could hear the voices of the living as the millions of years passed. They were happy, and then sad, and joyous, and angry. They were the people of the planet. The people of Cybertron.

And the light was forever cut off from it.

Oh, it had tried to rejoin numerous times. It could easily possess a body, but this proved to be ineffective as a permanent solution. It even once gained its own body back, only to have it destroyed. Ambitions finally crushed, it just circled the planet, and waited for the end that never came.

"I think I'll pray," it said, its voice coming out articulated, ghostly, yet calm. "They say that we were created by Primus, or some believe. There are so many contradictions, it is beyond logic, but nothing logical has worked thus far. So, Primus, if you are there, why are you torturing me? Why have you not let me die? They say I am mutated. I think this is cruel, for even other mutates have been destroyed."

Silence greeted the light.

"Answer me!" its voice grew a bit shriller. "What have I done to deserve this endlessness? Either grant me a new body or let me rejoin with the others. Even my own comrades from long ago have died of old age by now, replaced by better, more updated models."

Again, silence.

"I suppose you aren't even there. I bet the legend of Primus is just that; a story that creators tell to their creations to ease their sparkling-minded fears. I am not a sparkling, but I know that this existence is unnatural."

"Starscream."

The voice that came at the glowing light seemed to surround it completely, as if it were a physical entity. The sound and feel of it was overwhelming and yet pleasant, as if carrying the essence of a long lost home and family.

"Primus?"

"I've heard you."

"Then tell me! Why am I here? What is the purpose of this endless limbo?"

"Out of all my children, Starscream, you have proven to be one of the most contemptible. I do not wish for your knowledge and emotions to rejoin with the others."

"What?" The ball of light fairly shook with fury. "_I_ am contemptible? There are surely others who are worse than I am! What about Megatron, who thrust the planet into war for millennia?"

"He served his function as I planned it. You…you strayed from your purpose. You denied your destiny, and myself in this foolish plot to become a ruler."

"Foolish?! All I wanted was a chance! Megatron was no better! He allowed the planet to fall into squalor, with its inhabitants either dead, starving, or fighting to survive! He only created more wrongs that were compiled on those already transgressed before him from the previous rulers! He did nothing to solve them!"

"I know you did not care about your brethren, Starscream."

"Wrong, Primus, they did not care about _me_ first! I used the logic given to me, and was betrayed time and again! I had no family, no friends! I only had myself to rely upon. I worked so hard to achieve my goals, only to have them ripped from under me by Galvatron!"

"Your selfishness is still abundant. Until you can prove to me that you cared for anyone other than yourself, I cannot accept you."

"Who did Megatron care about then, oh Primus? Aside from himself?"

"That is knowledge you cannot have access to. Your limbo has nothing to do with Megatron, Starscream."

The ball of light was silent, and the essence of the voice faded. It circled the planet once, then again.

"Primus? What…what if I could have a second chance? Give me the chance to prove that I am capable of _something_ that would allow me back?"

Silence.

"Primus, please, I beg you. Anything is better than this torture. I know…if a second chance were to be had, you could give it. Please! I demand a second chance!"

"Starsceam, you were blinded to those about you, to yourself and your planet, by your ambitions. How am I to know that, if given this chance, you will not just repeat your actions?"

"If I knew what I had done, then I could avoid those mistakes! Just tell me! How will I know if you do not tell me?"

"If I told any of my children what they needed to know, I would not have created them in the first place. Only you can decide what a mistake is for you, Starscream."

"Then what do I do?"

The voice once again became silent, its comfort leaving, but its absence was brief. "You are beyond space and time, Starscream. I will give you this second chance, this _only_ chance, for you to learn."

The glowing light trembled. "You…you mean it? You are going to give me this chance?"

"It has already been given…" The voice left, taking with it the comfort it provided. All that was left was emptiness that now seemed sourer after such a brief lapse in what seemed like eternity.

"Wait…what? What's that supposed to…" The turn of the metal planet before the light spun backwards, swiftly. Time shifted back as the light was drawn towards the planet.

…….

Starscream found himself standing in a tall, peaked hallway with gleaming walls and crystalline windows. Below him, his reflection looked back up at him from the spotless polished floor, his expression one of disbelief. It reflected his body, a younger body, free from the scars of battle and war, gleaming and new. He could almost detect the fumes of the new paint upon him.

No insignia decorated his wings.

"I'm…a-alive," he touched the blue of his arms, the red of his torso. This was not his Earth jet form, it was his tetrajet form. "I'm on Cybertron, before the war…this…" He looked down the hall, then at the other Cybertronians traversing the hallway. "This is the military academy, before the Decepticons were even reformed…!" He smiled. The smile faded. "Wait, I remember this day. Something bad is about to…"

Starscream found himself shoved to the floor as something…or someone…collided with him. Laughter and squirms came down on him from above as he was fairly crushed into the floor. "Get…get off me!"

"I think we squished one of those nerdy bots," a voice came at him, almost from memory. Two warrior class bots picked themselves up and grinned down at Starscream. He recognized them immediately. Thundercracker and Skywarp. He stared at them in disbelief. They were so…_young!_ _They don't know who I am…I don't think I knew who they were either. _They frowned when he refused to do anything but stare at them. "Is it alive?"

"Maybe we should scrape it up before someone slips on it."

More laughter came. Starscream growled.

"Enough, you two."

Starscream's optics widened at the voice that caused the warriors to straighten and shuffle off. He could recognize that voice anywhere, and yet…

A large white hand grasped his arm and he was easily hoisted to his feet. Once righted, he backed away from the tall white painted jet before him. "Skyfire?"

The jet regarded him strangely, but with a slight smile. "Yes, Starscream?"

"I…" Starscream thought. _What day is this? Of course! We were students in the academy before we graduated, and then we became partners assigned together during our time with the military! We tested organic theories!_ "Nothing, I was just surprised, that is all."

"You shouldn't let others push you around, Starscream," Skyfire frowned.

Starscream's optics clouded. "I don't intend to, anymore," he turned and looked about, searching his memory for where he was supposed to go. _It's the end of the day…time to go home…which was the barracks. Oh slag, the barracks. I've been with my own private quarters for so long, I'd forgotten what it was like to share…and with such a large bot as Skyfire._

"Are you alright, Starscream?"

"What?"

"You look a bit…lost?"

"I must've taken a slight jostle from the fall," Starscream shrugged. "Aren't you going to the lecture tonight? There's a lecture or something going on, if I remember correctly?"

"Well, I was going to, but if you aren't feeling well, I'd rather not. Do you want to see the medical personnel?"

"No, I don't," Starscream scowled. "I'm fine, Skyfire, I told you!"

Skyfire flinched, seeming a bit…dejected. "Oh, alright. If you say so."

Starscream frowned, then softened. "I'm sorry, Skyfire. I guess I am a bit…upset about…I don't know. Um, just forget about it. Go to your lecture." He turned from Skyfire and continued down the hall. _Great, Starscream. Primus just told you to be more wary of those about you, and first thing you insult Skyfire. This isn't the same Skyfire as before, this is the one before the accident. When you were friends, at the academy. Your…only friend, actually._

Starscream halted and cast a glance to Skyfire. The big jet was walking slowly in the opposite direction. Starscream frowned. _This lecture…it was about something boring. Minerals. Alien minerals. I know them _now_, but back then they couldn't be more boring. I had wanted to know about alien _life_, about the possibility of organisms not made from sparks and cores and metal. I know they exist now! Well they will, soon enough…_

"Wait, Skyfire!" Starscream ran down the hall to his friend, who waited upon hearing his name. "I want to go to the lecture with you."

"Are you…sure? I didn't think you were interested in minerals."

"Well, no, because you were interested in it, and I know you'd tell me about it anyway, but," Starscream shrugged, trying to think of a valid excuse for wanting to go, aside from the reason of seeing his friend without the cloud of faction before them. Skyfire waited patiently. "Look, I just want to go now!"

Skyfire gave a small laugh, small and to the point, as many things he did were. _As if making up for how tall and massive he was, trying not to be overbearing on purpose…_ "Sure, Starscream. If you want to go so badly!"

Starscream smiled, somewhat elated that he wasn't barked at or turned away. _He has no idea what would happen to us in the future, how we would become enemies. _Starscream's smile faded as they walked along. _I should do what I can to prevent that from happening again. I was not loyal to him, and chose the Decepticons and Megatron over a friend. The Decepticons were a sorry replacement for that friendship…all because my hatred for the Autobots got in my way. Anger that a friend could choose my enemy over my friendship. I couldn't explain why I was following Megatron to him, I had no chance, no time. I _let_ him betray me, in a way._

_I must prevent the Autobots from ever becoming a threat to this friendship. Or the Decepticons, for that matter._

_Again._


	2. Friends

Chapter Two: Friends

Skyfire studied the meteor rock in his hand, his optics trained on it and magnified against it as far as they could go. It was mostly comprised of iron, which he was more than familiar with, and nickel, which served them little purpose, but also carried strange carbon traces, as if it were coated with it. He had obtained this rock ages ago, and yet now, with the study of carbon becoming rather important in alien worlds, he had remembered it and brought it out, planning to take it to the laboratory to compare with other samples.

A loud whir of a jet engine, small and shutting up just as it began, came from the other side of the room. Skyfire looked up to see Starscream still in recharge, flat on his back, one arm dangling from the berth. "Figures," he muttered.

"What figures…?"

Skyfire shook his head. He forgot that when his counterpart did not get enough recharge, he was prone to setting off his engines during recharge, or even talking. "It figures you'd recharge until the last possible minute before work." Starscream said nothing. "I don't understand why you went to the lecture, after telling me how boring it was going to be for so long."

"…wanted to be with my friend…"

Skyfire frowned. "What?"

"…may not be friends later…"

"Starscream, wake up," Skyfire reached over from his own berth and shook Starscream's shoulder.

Starscream woke with a start, sitting up abruptly and training an arm-blaster on Skyfire. His voice shrieked out, not like anything Skyfire had heard coming from the smaller jet before. "Who…!" His optics blazed red, his face bent in fury. Skyfire shied back involuntarily.

"Starscream…it's just me, Skyfire," he reached out a bit timidly and lowered Starscream's arm. "Remember? Are…you alright?"

Starscream came to his senses and lowered his arm. "Skyfire…! I…must've had a bad…a bad…"

"Subconscious processor cycle?"

"Well, in a way," Starscream fought to bring his intakes under control. He took in Skyfire's posture of reproach. _Oh slag, I scared him, or threatened him or something…_"I…I didn't mean to threaten you, Skyfire. It was…a reflex…" _One born of years of being in the war, of needing to be on your thrusters in a moment's notice…_

Skyfire managed a small smile and played with the meteor rock in his hands. "It is okay. But, are you sure you are feeling well? You've not been yourself lately."

Starscream looked away. "I don't feel like myself." _The memories are both a blessing and a curse…now I know what to avoid, I cannot forget those millennia of being a warrior. Everything here is so different from what I remembered. I saw my memories through the eyes of a warrior under Megatron's rule, not as they truly had been…_

"Well, if you want, you can tell me what it was about."

"What was what about?"

"Your dream."

"…oh," Starscream looked at Skyfire, then shrugged, trying to play it off. "It was silly…you don't want to know."

"I do, a bit, considering you were talking about your friendships in your recharge."

"I…was?"

Skyfire nodded, his smile slight and encouraging. _Trusting. Not like Megatron's smile, which was cold and crooked. You knew he would take what you said and turn it around on you one day…_ "If you don't want to tell me, that is fine. I just figured it would put you at ease if you did."

Starscream contemplated his friend. _Should he know? Should he know that, one day, we may be enemies? That I want to change it? How could this be explained, without him thinking I've completely fried my circuits?_ "I just have had this fear, recently…that one day…" _No, it's too personal. He'll laugh. Everyone always laughs!_

The white jet passed the meteor from one hand to another. "I won't laugh, Starscream. I promise."

The smaller jet fidgeted, fiddling with his hands, then stood, pacing a bit. "I saw…in my dream…maybe one day, we weren't friends anymore." He looked at Skyfire, waiting for the repercussion, the laughter, the ridicule…something…

Skyfire thought on this. "So you consider me a friend, then?"

"Well, of course, what else would you be?"

"I figured you just considered me as your coworker," Skyfire gave a small smirk and looked at the meteor rock. "I haven't many friends here."

_Not many friends? That's a bit absurd. I would have thought someone as amicable as Skyfire would have many friends…_ Starscream flinched. "Well, we _are _friends. The…the point is that I had this…I don't know, dream or vision or something…we almost kill each other. We aren't on the same side, and there's a war. I…" _I can't tell him about the ice, can I? Does it matter? How much am I to tell him, if anything…_

"Starscream, I wouldn't dream of trying to kill you," Skyfire frowned. "Or anyone for that matter. And Cybertron is at peace, as it has been since before we were both created. I do believe this is an irrational fear."

_No, of course not, now you wouldn't try to kill me. And I wouldn't try to kill you. It was a different story then… You turned Autobot, and I was a Decepticon. _

Starscream eyed the rock in Skyfire's hands and held out his own hand for it. "What is that, anyway?"

The white jet smiled subtly at Starscream's blatant attempt at changing the subject. He knew the smaller jet wasn't particularly fond of exposing his personal secrets, which made him a bit glad that Starscream was willing to entrust him with such a personal thing as a bad dream. "It's a meteor rock I've been keeping for some time. It has traces of carbon on it, but, until now at least, I've been unable to truly study it."

Starscream took the rock, magnifying his optics at it. He found that his optics did not magnify as much as he needed them to be. _I didn't receive an upgrade until the war was already started…but I know what this carbon is. _"This has traces of deceased single celled organisms."

"Organisms? Like…flesh?" Skyfire sat forward, his optics trained on the rock with renewed interest. "I know it's possible in _theory_, but for it to actually be true?"

"Of course. Only these are single cell, which means…they're very primitive."

"How did you know what they were?"

Starscream cursed himself. _I forgot! We had not even yet discovered flesh creatures at this time! The grants for the research had only come through recently!_ "I…well…I've studied on it independently. You'd go study minerals and whatever it is that you do after a shift…and I'd sit and study…this sort of thing."

Skyfire took the rock from him and once again studied it. "I don't see it."

"Your optics must not be magnified enough."

"But this is as far as they go. I would need to upgrade to magnify any further," Skyfire looked up. "You upgraded?"

"Well, in a way…"

This lack of explanation seemed to soar over Skyfire's head. He stood excitedly. "I must also upgrade! I must see this for myself!"

Starscream smirked and folded his arms. "I didn't think you were one to get so excited over life forms, Skyfire."

"Life forms like us, no, but to think, I've had this here this whole time, and not known what it was! It's…"

"Amazing?"

"Yes!" Skyfire smiled, bashful of his own excitement. Starscream couldn't help but laugh, even as Skyfire went to the door, opened it, and hurried out.

"Wait! Sky…oh slag," Starscream hurried out and after his friend. "You're forgetting…for every step you take it's almost three for me! Wait for me!"


	3. Discovery

Chapter Three: Discovery

The laboratory was quiet. The shifts had ended many breems ago, and yet the white jet still sat, analyzing data from the now dissected meteor rock. He found Starscream's unexplained knowledge of these single celled organisms a bit disturbing, but had not bothered to ask him about it, not wanting to upset him.

He was more concerned at Starscream's sudden lack of interest, as if were something he already knew and did not care to revisit. Skyfire knew of Starscream's lack of patience, and was grateful the smaller mech was giving him the time to study on his own, so he didn't press him to become more involved.

Starscream entered the lab, his arms full of reports. Skyfire was quick to gather them from the red jet and set them on one of the counters. "It seems as if everyone is beginning to get interested in this discovery."

"They want to commend us," Starscream replied, taking a seat next to where Skyfire had been sitting. "This is apparently one of the most important discoveries in our time."

"I'm not surprised," Skyfire selected one of the datapads, sat, and began reading. "You know, Starscream, I have a theory. What if organisms had more than one cell?"

_Well, of course they could. How else would those filthy Earth flesh creatures come to be? _"It could be possible. We should obtain live samples soon. You can only work so much with deceased and decayed samples," Starscream motioned to the meteor rock pieces. "In fact, I am quite surprised that there are even any samples at all on this rock, considering how long you've had it."

"Well, we'll pick up some samples for sure, when we take that field study," Skyfire replied absently, working with the datapad.

"Field study?"

"You know, our expedition. Apparently due to this discovery, the science council has moved it up," Skyfire met optics with a now confused Starscream. "Don't tell me you forgot?"

"I…I didn't forget, I am just surprised that they moved it up. When do we leave?"

"In about seventeen orns."

"What? So soon?" Starscream looked away, uneasy.

"It's not like you have other plans," Skyfire laughed a bit to himself. Starscream seemed not to hear, however. He sat staring off absently, fiddling with a piece of meteor rock in his hands. "Starscream?" Skyfire placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I thought you were excited about this. 'Better than sitting inside a lab all day', if I quote you correctly?"

_Yes, it is better, but this expedition is where Skyfire is lost. Everything falls apart! It seems in my mistake of giving information about life on other planets, I have altered the timeline of my life!_ Starscream set down the meteor rock and looked up at his friend, giving his best assuring smile. "I suppose it is just unnecessary jitters, Skyfire."

"But you've been out of the system before."

"Yes but…so have others. We're going where no one has gone before, in search of things that no one has knowledge about!"

"We are at the forefront of this remarkable discovery," Skyfire once again couldn't hide his excited smile. "This…is beyond anything I could possibly imagine to happen."

"You're a scientist," Starscream laughed. "The whole point is to further science through discoveries."

"Yes, but when is the last time you can say you've truly made a historical impact on the way this world works?"

_I could say plenty, but…I couldn't tell you, Skyfire. You wouldn't believe me if I tried…even though I need to avoid this trip somehow. We both need to._ "You do have a point."

"So," Skyfire gave him a friendly nudge before releasing his shoulder. "There is no need to be worried. In fact," Skyfire set down the report and stood. "We should celebrate."

"Celebrate?" Starscream watched as his friend began tidying up the laboratory. "Like, a party?"

"Not quite. I know of a place not far from here that serves excellent blends of high grade, some imported from sources outside of the system," Skyfire placed the datapads on a shelf and turned to his friend, who was still seated. "Come on, Starscream. I'll even buy the first round."

"You, overcharged?" Starscream stood with a grin. "This I've got to see!"

…..

Skyfire led them to a neighborhood outside of the military academy vicinity. They touched down outside of what once must have been a residence but had been turned into a high grade serving establishment. "It's small, but it's worth it," Skyfire told Starscream, as if anticipating a complaint.

Starscream eyed the place. Military warriors, bored and off shift, stood outside, laughing and slurring from overcharge. Names came to him as he studied each one. _These mechs were under my command when I took over the state. Most of them died…pity, perhaps putting less time into their training than they put into their consumption of high grade did them a disservice! No one has a clue what is going to happen in the next eight or nine vorns. Look at them, so merry, as if life could never be dark, as if their own demise were not so close…_

Jets overhead caught his attention. He looked up and frowned upon seeing the hulls of Thundercracker and Skywarp. He scowled. "Figures."

"Don't let it ruin your night, Starscream."

"I have no intention to," Starscream replied, watching as they touched down and transformed on the walkway behind them. The two were laughing to themselves as they began walking towards them. "Go inside, Skyfire. I wanted to talk with them."

"It's not worth it, Starscream."

"Don't worry, I won't cause trouble."

Skyfire frowned, unconvinced, but went inside anyway, casting the three one last wary glance before the door shut behind him.

The purple and blue jets exchanged glances and regarded the scientist with smirks as they neared. "Well if it isn't our favorite nerdy-bot," Skywarp said in mock greeting.

"Skywarp, Thundercracker," Starscream acknowledged.

"How'd you know our names?" Thundercracker asked. The smirks softened.

"I know a lot about you two," Starscream sneered, stepping forward. He poked Thundercracker in the chest. "The voices," he grinned when Thundercracker stepped back, his mouth open but at a loss for words. He turned to Skywarp. "The pranks, how you've almost gotten dismissed from the military because of your last prank which involved adhesive, caution strips, and your commanding officer."

"Hey! That's private stuff!" Skywarp frowned.

"Skywarp, let's go," Thundercracker took another step back. "I don't like this guy."

Skywarp stepped forward angrily. "You've been snooping around or what? Flashing your access codes in the wrong place?"

Starscream folded his arms and shook his head. "No, because not even your medical officer knows about those voices," he turned to Thundercracker. "Skywarp didn't even know, did he?"

"Sky, _let's go_!" Thundercracker grabbed Skywarp's arm and tried to pull him away, but the blue jet wouldn't budge.

"I know many things," Starscream moved closer to them and glared. "I think it would be wise for you both to avoid making me upset. With what I know, I could have you _both_ either locked up or deactivated and donated to science for dissection!" He calmed and smiled. "Do I make myself clear?"

The two, who were once boasting and ready to bully, were now shocked into silence. Thundercracker moved first, nudging Skywarp, who stuttered, "Yes…sir?"

_Sir! They had never called me that before! Ha ha, I could get used to this!_ "Thank you. Now, I would go home and get some recharge if I were you two," Starscream pointed away from the establishment for emphasis. "You never know when I might slip and tell one of your comrades over there," he motioned to the mechs standing outside the door, "something you don't want them to know."

The two nodded, stepping back before transforming and taking off. Starscream watched them leave with a lopsided smirk, then went inside. Skyfire sat at a table with two full canisters of high grade before him. "So," he began as Starscream sat down. "What happened?"

"I convinced them through both scientific theory and plain intelligent prowess to leave me the slag alone," Starscream grinned. "I am a genius."

"Scientific theory?" Skyfire moved a canister into Starscream's hand.

"Yes, it was a rather neat experiment involving the probability of if they'd leave quietly or risk an altercation. Together, we came to the conclusion that it was best if they just left," Starscream sipped the energon. His optics flickered in surprise. "This really _is_ good blend!"

"I told you so, although, I don't believe what you just said for an astrosecond."

Starscream grinned and went to drink more, but halted and held up his canister. Skyfire eyed the canister, then Starscream. "It's called a toast."

"A toast?"

"Yes, where we commend each other for something or other. It's…uh…something I picked up out of state. Just copy me."

Skyfire considered this, then held up his own canister. Starscream clinked his canister against Skyfire's and grinned. "To our friendship, and being at the forefront of discovery!"

Skyfire grinned. "Yes, to discovery." The two downed the energon quickly.

Starscream felt the high grade buzz through his systems. "That is _really good_ high grade!"

"More?"

"Oh, yes please."


	4. Promise

Chapter Four: Promise

The door to the shared quarters opened, allowing the overcharged forms of Starscream and Skyfire to enter, laughing hysterically. Skyfire was practically holding Starscream, and set him down once the door shut behind them. The smaller jet went to his berth and sat, trying to bring him laughter under control. "Did you…did you see their faces? Did you see the look on their faces? I told them…I said…I said if they weren't careful, their optics would shatter!"

Skyfire leaned against the wall for support, laughing again. "I think…I think they thought we were insane!"

"I loved it…I loved it when you picked that one mech up, you were all," Starscream tried to make his voice squeaky, which only resulted in it sounding screechier. "'If you aren't careful, Tiny, you might find yourself stepped on!' and he was all, 'Oh no! Not that! I'm much too small and delicate for that sort of deactivation!"

Skyfire slid down the wall until he was seated, laughing uncontrollably. "I…I don't sound like that, Starscream! You know I don't!"

"I bet you could, if you tried. Try it. C'mon, I dare you."

"I'll sound like you!"

"Try it! Try…try to impersonalate me!"

"Impersonalate?"

"Just try it, I wanna see if you can do it."

Skyfire grinned and tried to bring his vocals up a pitch, "Hello! My name is Starscream!"

"You sounded like a femme!" Starscream burst out laughing again, then stopped. "Hey! I don't sound like a femme!"

"Do you even know what a femme sounds like?"

Starscream thought. "No…I don't think I've ever met one. At least not in this point of history. Do I meet one later?"

Skyfire shrugged. "I don't know, do you meet one later?"

"I don't think I do," Starscream folded his arms. "Oh right, that stupid pink twit…during the war…"

Skyfire laughed. "What? War? I told you…Starscream, look at me Starscream. C'mon…alright. I told you that you…I told you that you shouldn't have had that last canister. You can't even look at me straight! Now you're talking about femmes and wars!"

"Oh!" Starscream giggled. "I forgot I wasn't supposed to tell you that!"

"Tell me what? Your femme fantasies? I don't think I want to know, Starscream." Skyfire braced himself against the wall with one hand and tried to bring his feet up under him. "Oh, I think my equilibrium is off."

"Let me help you," Starscream slid off the berth and walked along it, holding it for support, and then took a few teetering steps over to Skyfire, whom he held onto for support. "Look, just use me for a brace."

"I'll squash you, Starscream," Skyfire pushed Starscream's hand off him, which resulted in the smaller jet losing his balance and falling backward onto his aft. Starscream collapsed onto the floor and groaned through a smattering of laughs. "Starscream! Oh, slag, I've killed you," he rolled over to his hands and knees, crawling over Starscream and peering down at his friend, who was now laughing hysterically, holding his intakes. "Starscream…are you dead? Starscream!"

"No, I'm not dead!" Starscream grinned. "For the first time in a long time, I am not dead! It feels so wonderful, Skyfire, you wouldn't even _begin_ to comprehend!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I'm not dead! I'm alive, things have turned my way for once! After so long…after…after it being slag for vorns, so many many vorns, I'm important, I've got…I've got this discovery, and then I've got you as my friend, you aren't my enemy like how…uh…like in that dream!"

Skyfire's optics turned concerned. "You're still upset because of that dream?"

"It seemed real…but I know it won't happen," Starscream grinned up at his friend. "Don't give me that look, I told you I am not upset about it!" He gave a giggle when his friend did not seem convinced. "You're my best friend Skyfire. No matter what happens, I doubt I'd let anything change that. I promise." He laughed. "And I don't make promises very often!"

Skyfire nodded absently, his optics still on Starscream's, which had begun to flicker, signaling that he was beginning to shut down from overcharge. "Starscream?"

"Yeah?"

"I want to…" He paused, then leaned down, his lips brushing against Starscream's fleetingly. When Starscream didn't rebuke him in any way, he tried it again, pushing his lips to Starscream's. The smaller jet either opened his mouth to speak or protest, but the white jet took the initiative to deepen the kiss slightly. When he pulled away, Starscream was giggling. "What?"

"You taste like high grade!" The red jet laughed before his intakes wheezed. His optics flickered, then went offline, and he fell silent, shut down.

……

"Starscream?"

"Starscream, wake up."

The red jet woke slowly, groaning as his optics flickered online and focused on Skyfire, who was standing over him. "Hi."

"I think you should take this shift off. You're in no condition for work. We're late anyway."

"No…" Starscream fought to sit up and looked about him. His equilibrium was still off, and his optics refused to focus clearly. "I can make it…"

"It's alright, you have days set aside anyway," Skyfire paused. "About…what I did last night, Starscream…"

Starscream gave a lazy smile. "That was fun."

Skyfire stuttered, a bit surprised. "It…it was?"

"Yes, we'll have to do it again sometime. Maybe before we go out on the study. Although I can't drink that much again…I was trying to keep up with you, but you obviously have a higher tolerance."

"Oh…you meant the high grade. I meant…look, people do dumb things when they're overcharged, right?"

"Of course. We'll probably get a report in about that minibot soon. I can't believe we stuffed him into the scrap receptacle." Starscream grinned.

"Is that all you remember us doing?"

"What, did we do something else?" Starscream sobered. "We didn't hurt him, did we?"

"No, but...I'm just saying, next time we should be more careful, and this includes myself, um, of doing things embarrassing. Or that we might regret."

"Of course," Starscream frowned. "Are you sure we didn't hurt him?"

"I…am not completely positive, but I remember him walking away from the incident with his friends," Skyfire fidgeted, then moved to the door. "Just relax today, Starscream, and I will fill you in on the research tomorrow."

Starscream nodded as his friend left, then promptly lay back down, falling back into recharge.

…….

Skyfire looked down at the report in his hands, but couldn't focus on it or his work if his existence depended on it. "I can't believe I did that," he hissed at himself. "I know he doesn't remember now, but he will, and he'll be…angry."

As if on cue, the door opened and Starscream stepped in, his expression a slight scowl.

"Starscream? What…what's wrong?"

"I think you know very well what is wrong, _Skyfire_," Starscream walked over and tore the report from his hands. It clattered to the ground. "'Dumb things'? Could you have been any _vaguer_?"

"You didn't remember…I figured I shouldn't tell you…"

Starscream seemed to ignore the words. "Dumb, Skyfire? Not exactly the word _I_ would use!"

"I'm sorry, Starscream, I wasn't…I was overcharged. I didn't want to offend you…!"

"So is that why you called it dumb? Because you didn't mean it?"

"What? No…no that's not why I called it dumb…"

"So you did mean it?"

Skyfire opened his mouth to speak, but could only shrug helplessly.

"I think you did," Starscream reached up and grabbed Skyfire by above his cockpit, but instead of trying to pull the large white jet to his level, he hoisted himself up, his thrusters gaining purchase on Skyfire's lap. Skyfire grabbed his friend out of reflex, but his hands flinched when the smaller jet kissed him. The kiss was long and delving and deep, sending flickers through Skyfire's optics and causing the sensors of his faceplates to light up suddenly.

When Starscream pulled away, he regarded Skyfire with a smirk. A challenging, sly smirk.

Skyfire found himself after a cycle. "Starscream…what? Why?"

"Why not?"

The larger jet couldn't think of something to reply with. He averted his optics.

"You only live once, Skyfire." _Yes, I lived once and you were not there. How dare you say it is dumb? If you saw what I saw, if you knew what I knew…you wouldn't doubt me, but I can't tell you…just trust me. I've betrayed so many people before, but I would never hurt you, not now when I have the chance to do it over!_

Skyfire met optics with Starscream. His larger face was blank, but his optics were searching, as if trying to see through to Starscream's true intentions as if they lie right behind his rust colored optics.

_Don't reject me, not now!_

Starscream's expression seemed to melt as the astroseconds passed; his smirk faded, his optics turned away, his hand releasing Skyfire.

"Starscream."

"I was…being brash…"

"No…well yes, you were, but," Skyfire turned the smaller jet's face towards his with a finger. He didn't finish; his hand pulled Starscream closer, kissing him once more, but not a timid, drunken kiss. He smiled against Starscream's lips when the red jet took hold of his helm to keep him close, as if he'd suddenly run away.

Starscream pulled away, kissing the spot where there had been first a Decepticon insignia and then an Autobot insignia in his memory, but of course there was none there now. "I should…we should stop before someone catches us," he breathed.

"Yes…maybe…" Skyfire forced his hands to release the smaller jet, who slid off his lap to stand on the ground. He watched as Starscream made a reluctant retreat to the door.

Starscream opened the door and looked back, his lopsided smirk making its way back to his face before he left.

……

Upon reaching their quarters, Starscream looked about, realizing that he was in no mood to try and recharge the breems away, so he set to performing maintenance on his blasters. He removed them from his arms and frowned. "Early model," he began taking them apart. "I know I don't need it, but it's nice to know you have a null ray, just in case…" A panel broke off in his hands. "Cheap military standard issue slag!"

He sat on his berth and began to fiddle with them. _The military would never give me upgrades for no reason during a time of peace, but that doesn't mean I cannot upgrade them myself…_

Footsteps could be heard approaching the door to the quarters, and he was surprised when the door opened and Skyfire stepped in. "Skyfire…is something wrong at the laboratory?"

Skyfire fidgeted and nodded. "I can't concentrate, Starscream," he shut the door and locked it. "The shift is shot. I'll just write it as a day off." His optics met with Starscream's before giving him a look over. The large jet looked away, but didn't move, as if he didn't know what to do with himself.

Starscream smiled knowingly. _Look at him! He wants me…but he doesn't know how to handle it! Wait…why am I just sitting here? Get off your aft and do something!_

The red jet stood, crossed the small space between their berths, and sat down on Skyfire's larger one. He pulled himself up all the way to the side that connected with the wall, drawing his knees up. One blue hand reached out towards Skyfire, who could only watch with helpless desire.

"Are you coming over here, or are you just going to stand there all day?"


	5. Testing

Chapter Five: Testing

For once, Starscream wasn't the one to recharge needlessly into the morning. He sat, leaning against the sprawling, recharging figure of Skyfire, his optics on the larger jet's faceplate, studying it. The prior day and night's activities had seemed to have had a recharging effect on the smaller jet, and while he enjoyed his recharge, he wasn't about to complain.

_It's easier to relax in this time period. I think I'm going soft…it's all Skyfire's fault. I cannot help but be calmer in his presence; it's as if he radiates calmness. He's such a neutral, so patient, no wonder I hardly saw him on the front. Knowing him, Optimus would throw orders at him till his faceplate melted and yet Skyfire wouldn't budge unless he knew there was a justification for it. _

Starscream's features turned from soft admiration to a troubled frown. _I need to find a way to get us out of this expedition. I know that…even though it was moved up, and that we might actually miss that freak storm now, I know that Earth is still going through many changes, and is a volatile planet. Who can say that we won't get caught up in that storm again, or something worse, such as a volcano eruption? A landslide? Earthquake? Dangerous atmospheric phenomena?_

A blue hand reached out and trailed fingers down the side of Skyfire's large face. The larger jet stirred but didn't wake. _I must protect him from that fate, even if he must be present for the war. I can't…I can't let him just disappear!_

Starscream checked his chronometer and cycled a sigh through his systems. He touched Skyfire's face again while his other hand disconnected Skyfire's interfacing cord from himself. "Time to wake up, love."

Skyfire stirred, his optics coming online slowly. They met Starscream's, and a subtle smile made its way to his face. "Hello."

"So," Starscream sat back and wound the cord in his hands, then placed it back in its compartment to the left of Skyfire's cockpit and shut the panel. "What do you think?"

Skyfire was silent, perusing just what he should say. The night was beyond anything he could have imagined, and while sometime during the passionate and sometimes even _fierce_ lovemaking he had forgotten all his cautions, they now returned. "Starscream, it's a possibility that we could get into very serious trouble for this. We're scientists, a team of scientists who are now being watched more than ever because of our discovery, and I don't mean just by the science council. Rival teams will be looking for a way to usurp us."

Starscream's lip curled a bit in disgust. "Will you for once forget about other people? I don't _care_ what they think."

"But I do. You know how important this is for me. I don't care about the limelight. I just want to be there, in the thick of it, as this research continues," Skyfire paused. "I know that you aren't as interested in it as I am, but we have a duty to fulfill. You cannot deny this."

The smaller jet frowned and shoved himself off the berth. He paced to the front of the room and turned. "So this…is just one night, then? We leave it at that? Is that what you want?"

"No," Skyfire sat up and swung his legs off the side of the berth. "I'd be lying if I said that…" he hesitated, giving a small shudder at remembering the night. He smiled. "I'd be lying if I said that I had not wanted that to happen, and I'd definitely be lying if I said I'd never want for that to happen again. Just…we need to be careful, Starscream."

The smirk returned. "Well, that _can_ be arranged…" The red jet took a step towards Skyfire. A small beep came to him, and he felt static come to him over a private line. He scowled. "This is Starscream."

Skyfire waited patiently as Starscream seemed to listen in on a private channel. He took note of Starscream's dissected blasters on the berth across from him; it appeared that Starscream was in the middle of trying to upgrade them before their tryst the day before. He made a mental note to ask him about that.

"What? They're on their way to the laboratory right now? No! Of course we aren't there yet…yes we're a little late…he's on his way _here?_ You slagging moron…!"

Skyfire's optics widened, then turned to the door when the intercom beeped. "Skyfire? Starscream? Are you awake?"

Starscream met frantic optics with Skyfire before he hurried to his own berth and picked up his blasters. "Yes…Senior Councilmembers, we're here," he motioned to the door and waved his hands, then gathered the blasters and shoved them under the berth, out of sight. He stood hurriedly as Skyfire silently ushered him to calm himself. "Uh…come in!"

The door opened, allowing two bots inside. Both seemed very stately in appearance, their higher military salaries showing through their gleaming royal blue paint and yellow optics. They waited until the door shut to accept greetings from both the scientists.

"If it isn't the prize students of the Academy," one spoke. "And now two of the best scientists in the field. We've heard nothing but good things about you two."

"Thank you, it's very flattering," Starscream replied. "We do try our best."

Skyfire fought back a laugh at Starscream's sudden behavior, as if the praise itself were boosting him energetically.

"The senate itself has become very interested in your research," the other councilmember stated. "They've urged us to move up your field assignment, but after we did, they told us it is not soon enough."

"Senators…they think discoveries happen overnight," the first councilmember laughed.

Starscream's smile wavered. "So…you're going to move it up again?"

"Of course, especially with the number of grants the senate has thrown our way recently. Can you both be ready to leave in three orns?"

"Yes, of course, we're more than ready," Skyfire spoke up. "We're both very excited and honored, but I do hope the senate realizes that we do this in the name of science and advancement for our people, not glory or grant money."

"If I tried to tell them that, they wouldn't believe me anyway," the second councilmember smiled. "Don't worry, though, we've made it so where you two are the only team presently working on this development. To think, somewhere out there in the universe there might be an intelligent and yet completely organic life form, just waiting to be discovered!"

_Not for another few million years, you dolt…_ "Well, we may need secondary teams…in the future…"

"Yes, but that's the _future_!" The two moved towards the door.

_Of course not now, not when you have them all focused on engineering military weaponry, and for some reason trying to find alternate forms of fuel. You don't even know the senate has pulled the titanium over your optics. There's a famine headed our way and you're their little tools…If we had another team with us, I wouldn't be so apprehensive about the expedition, but you wouldn't spare them, I shouldn't have even mentioned it. _ "Thank you very much, Councilmembers, for gracing us with your presence this morning."

The two waved their goodbyes and left, leaving the room in contrasting silence.

Skyfire stood and began speaking, but Starscream could never have been more unfocused. _Look at him, so excited, like a sparkling on his sparkdate. My time is running out…I have a plan to get us out of this mess, but it's tricky. Either it will work, or Skyfire will forever think I am completely crazy. He isn't a superstitious bot by any means, even if those idiots Thundercracker and Skywarp are. It may be too late…_

_I need to stop this expedition._

_I need to save Skyfire…even if that means ruining our friendship._


	6. Convincing

Chapter Six: Convincing

Despite once again indulging themselves in round after round of lovemaking, both taking turns to see if they could cause the other to overload before themselves, and despite the night being cool and calm, and even despite having Skyfire's arm about him, Starscream could not recharge.

_I am so tired, but in two orns, we will be gone. I cannot control what will happen then! Even if we do go, and nothing happens, when we return, the science council will be abolished and we will be out of jobs, and Megatron will have already taken control of the underground Decepticon movement._

_Why am I thinking of that? That is the last thing I should be concerned with…but now that I realize this, I cannot help it. I alone know what is going to happen. Megatron will plunge the world into a war that he will refuse to end because it gives him the power he so craves. I wonder…if I had been able to see the end of that war, and if Megatron had truly become victorious, how could he handle being the leader of a peaceful Cybertron?_

_If there was a Cybertron left to rule. _

_I'm not one for plans, and it shows. This plan…is stupid. I can only hear Megatron now. "Starscream, you fool! You couldn't possibly think this would work blah blah blah!" I wonder where he is right now. I should really establish some connections with the Decepticons of this time period, before Megatron has a chance to._

Starscream, resting on his front under the protection of Skyfire's arm, looked up to Skyfire's unconscious face. _You have no problems deceiving others, and yet when it comes to Skyfire, you couldn't muster the gall to lie even once! You really are a fool, Starscream!_

Megatron's voice seemed to channel from his memory. _You…fool! You…_coward!

_He's going to disappear into that ice, and you will be powerless to stop it!_

_You…are…_weak!

Starscream scowled, offlined his optics, and shoved himself up, slamming his wings into Skyfire's arm. His voice came out so shrill, so convincing, it startled even himself. "I won't let it take yooooouuuuu!"

Skyfire woke immediately to find a struggling Starscream under his arm, screaming and moving about in recharge. Frowning, he pulled the smaller jet to him and sat up. "Starscream? Wake up!" His frown deepened when the smaller jet fought against his hands, blue hands scratching against white ones. "Wake _up_, Starscream!"

Starscream's optics came online, the red light shining through the darkness and casting Skyfire into a hellacious glow. "Sk…Skyfire?" Starscream looked about, then up at the white jet. "It was…a dream?"

"It must have been," Skyfire cupped his chin. "I'm worried, Starscream. You seem to have a lot of bad dreams. This isn't healthy."

The smaller jet pushed his hand away, seeming to ignore the suggestion. "I saw it, Skyfire! I saw what happens when we go to that planet! I saw you…we were over the planet's magnetic pole when…our navigations were knocked out by the intensity of the magnetism, and we flew into a storm! An ice storm!"

"Starscream, it's alright. It was _just a dream_."

"No, it was real!" Starscream scowled. "I saw you get lost in the ice. I was looking for you, and I couldn't find you. It was _real_, I swear it!"

"You're being irrational…"

"Slag you, Skyfire! _Listen to me!_" Starscream slammed his fists into the berth below him for emphasis. The white jet's optics flickered in surprise. "I saw it…it was real. I was looking for you, but then I got low on energy and had to return. You were presumed dead…they wouldn't let me come after you!" His distressed optics met Skyfire's.

Skyfire cycled a sigh and placed his hands on Starscream's shoulders. "Starscream, calm yourself, please."

Starscream forced himself to regain composure, but his hands clasped onto Skyfire's.

"It was just a dream," Skyfire ran a comforting hand down his helm and then traced his intakes. He smiled. "I know…we're doing a dangerous thing, going to this planet, where no one has gone before but…you needn't be worried about me. Your anxiety is taking a hold of you, Starscream. You're being…illogical."

Starscream winced at the word. "It's illogical to fear for you? What if it really happens, Skyfire? I'd be beside myself…I wouldn't know what to do…"

"You're already beside yourself, and for no reason," the white jet pulled him close in an embrace. "I'm a big mech, Starscream. A little ice won't hurt me."

_You're wrong, Skyfire. You're so wrong…_ Starscream buried his helm into Skyfire's torso, real panic beginning to overtake him as his plan was squashed. His chassis shook with it, and was met with a comforting white hand stroking down the back of his wings. "It was so real…it was real…I swear it was real."

_You're a fool, Starscream. You're a fool like you always have been, and always will be. _

Starscream shuddered against the voice of Megatron coming back to him. "Shut _up!_" He slammed his fist into Skyfire's torso and pushed away.

The large white jet did nothing as his counterpart left the room, leaving him confused and worried.

…….

At the laboratory, Starscream kept himself engrossed in his work, embarrassed and refusing to speak with Skyfire. _Why did I even try it? Now I know he thinks I am crazy!_ He looked down at the meteor rock before him with his _now_ upgraded optics. He could easily see the scarred traces of the single cell bacteria, but he didn't need to see it to analyze it. He already knew what it was, what it did, what it was made out of. What comprised most of his time was explaining his findings in reports so that it did not seem like he already knew what it was, what things were called. Dumbing down his research was excruciating and testing on his patience.

He raised his optics to Skyfire, who worked wordlessly on the other side of the room. A small dent was visible on his torso where Starscream had struck him. So far the white jet had not spoken about it, and did not seem miffed by it at all. "I'm…I'm sorry, Skyfire."

"I know you are, Starscream," Skyfire looked up briefly. "If it had been me to have that dream, I would have been upset as well."

Starscream nodded and returned to his work. "Skyfire…I don't think…I can go on this expedition."

The other mech looked up, but seemed too shocked to speak for a breem. "What?"

"I can't do it," Starscream fought a visible shudder as he spoke, refusing to raise his head. He covered his helm with his hands. "I just can't…" _If you go, if you are lost…I can't be there. I can't witness it, not again, not after all that has happened!"_

"Star…Starscream, you're talking about giving up the biggest opportunity of your existence! You cannot be serious!"

"I just can't do it, Skyfire! Why must there always be a need for an explanation?"

"There isn't always a need for one, but in this case I would think there should be one! Is this about your dream? It's not slagging _real_, Starscream!"

Starscream flinched at the hint of anger in Skyfire's voice. He was pushing Skyfire, who seemed made of endless patience, but even he knew that the large mech had his limits. "I'm sorry, Skyfire…pick another partner. Make a new team. I don't care if I am terminated from military science. I just can't do it."

Skyfire regarded the red jet as he sat hunched over the examination table, head in hands. It was obvious he was distressed, but needlessly so. Skyfire fought a scowl. "Alright, Starscream. If that is how you want it. I am not going to argue with you." Starscream buried his helm deeper into his hands as he heard Skyfire open a frequency. "Please relay me to the science council."

"Skyfire…I…"

"Yes, it's me, Skyfire…yes…no, something has come up, sir. Yes, unfortunately…no…sir, I am requesting our involvement in the upcoming expedition be cancelled. Yes sir…yes both of us. I…I understand."

Starscream looked up at Skyfire from between his forearms. "Did you just…remove _yourself_?"

Skyfire kept his optics trained on his work before him. The datapads showed information that he no longer cared to see. "I cannot go alone, and it is too late for me to select and train a partner to work effectively with. I _know_ how you work, Starscream. I can anticipate your actions, I can _rely_ on you…or at least, I used to be able to." His optics met Starscream's coldly. "I wish I could say, 'I hope you knew what you were saying when you said you can't do it', but I don't need to. I know you don't know."

Starscream cringed when Skyfire's stool was pushed away and the larger jet exited the room. He slumped into his hands and whispered to no one, "Thank you, Skyfire. Even though you may always hate me for this…thank you…"


	7. Removed

Chapter Seven: Removed

Orns passed. When the day of their expedition came and went, Starscream felt coldness drive itself between himself and his friend. Very little was said between them, save for questions and answers tossed between them during work. Nothing was said when off shift. It was as if his friend was replaced with a ghost; no interaction, he could see him, but not touch, he could hear him, but not speak.

Starscream had learned that another team had been selected for the trip. The two scientists were barely known, but they were the only ones free at the time, and of course willing to fill in the abandoned roles.

Skyfire sat where he usually sat, silently working. Recently, Starscream had suggested that the mass found at the centers of the deceased bacteria were actually fundamental parts of its creation. Taking this suggestion, Skyfire worked to discover just what it was…but refused to speak to Starscream about it further.

The red jet fidgeted. "Skyfire…"

"_Don't_."

"Skyfire, please…"

Skyfire's grip on the datapad before him increased. Starscream thought he heard the machinery squeal in protest. "I can't _believe_ I listened to you…"

"You…didn't have to…"

Skyfire's optics shot up to his. "No. I didn't have to. But I did…because I trusted you. I was _stupid_, giving into your illogical fantasies. Who cares if we did die in that expedition, Starscream?" He tossed the datapad aside. "Wasn't it _you_ who said, 'you only live once'? You played me for a fool, Starscream. I don't know what your real intentions are, but I should have known from the _start_ that this was all some sort of game, some sort of ruse. The way you act with all this," he motioned towards their research. "It's like you knew about it for ages! I'm stumbling along and you're sailing through it."

"Are you…insinuating that I am trying to undermine you somehow?" Starscream could scarcely believe his audio receptors.

"If not that, then what are you doing?" Skyfire lowered his voice. "You bring out this discovery, you could care less about it, you get me to interface with you and then pull this ridiculous 'dream' ploy and get me to cancel the expedition…how do you think this is going to look in the optics of the council, Starscream? They're going to want an explanation!"

"I did not force you to not take the expedition," Starscream scowled, his voice rising. "You're the one who refused to take another partner!"

"I had no choice!"

Starscream's optics narrowed as he stood, his hands clenching the edges of the counter. "I saved your life, Skyfire, and you don't even know it!"

"Shut up already with that inane dream! Are your logic circuits _fried_?!"

"You depend on yours too much!" Starscream moved away from the counter, but not before shoving the reports he had had before him to the ground. He stormed to the door, opened it, then stormed down the hallway…only to find the Councilmembers making their way _up_ the hallway. "Council…members…why…"

"No time for pleasantries, Starscream," one spoke, pointing back towards their laboratories. "Please make your way back. We have some important issues to discuss with both you and Skyfire."

Starscream frowned but did as he was told, circling back to the laboratory to find Skyfire sitting with his head in his hands. When Skyfire managed to look up, Starscream gave a small shake of his head right before the councilmembers entered.

Skyfire moved to stand up, but they waved him to sit.

"We don't come here on pleasant business, so I will get right to the point," the first councilmember said. "Since your…removal from the expedition, the senate has called into question our findings and is asking for an investigation into our new cellular research, stating that we may have falsified our evidence to obtain grant money."

"But that's a lie!" Starscream frowned. "Everything here is legitimate!"

"Then why did you two remove yourselves from the expedition? The collection of live samples is very conducive to this research…you might as well have not even begun the research at all," the second councilmember said. "You do know that we will have to switch this project from you to our new team."

"There are a lot of discrepancies in your work," the first councilmember continued. He looked each scientist in the optics and cycled a sigh. "We have no choice but to place you both under suspension, without pay, pending the investigation into your research."

"Suspension?" Starscream scowled. "Without pay? What are we to live on? This is absurd!"

"If your research is sound, Starscream, you have nothing to worry about," the second councilmember said. They moved to the door. "You have one orn to vacate the premises."

Starscream could only watch as the two left, leaving them alone. His optics turned to Skyfire.

"It's just as well," the larger mech said softly. "It was too good to be true. It…all was."

…….

The two soon found themselves living on the outskirts of the military installment, pooling their savings to rent a room in a residence of an older mech who was once also a warrior but left the military…but couldn't leave completely and now worked in energon shipping.

Skyfire kept himself busy with freelance assisting, something he considered debasing and below him, but the last thing he needed was inquiries into why he needed these jobs.

Starscream, however, upon their suspension, became interested in the news, engrossing himself in the political pages. Unrest was evident throughout the states, but the news reporters either refused to investigate matters fully, or were forced not to. "Reporters can be so cunning," he muttered to himself. "They twist their words about to make it seem as if they are not really saying what they are. The senate is stockpiling credits and energon while the outlying states are beginning to feel the effects of the beginning of a famine. They're going to start cutting jobs within the military…only this time I am here to witness it."

He switched pages on the datapad and was introduced to the faces of two mechs, two scientists, the ones who had replaced them on the expedition. He scowled and deleted the news from the datapad without reading the headline, and tossed the datapad aside. "Forget Skyfire. He is ungrateful as he is stubborn. He honestly thought I was trying to undermine him somehow! We…we _were _a team," he frowned. "We were _more_ than a team."

The datapad beeped, signaling an incoming message. He grasped up the datapad and read it. "We regret to inform you that…you have been terminated from active military service after investigation into…_what_?! Our research was _not_ unfounded! Those miserable addle cranial united morons!" The screen of the datapad cracked from the pressure of his hands. He turned and threw it against one of the berths in the room, where it shattered. "How _dare_ they say that it is unfounded?! Do they know how much work we put into this?!"

"Obviously not enough."

Starscream whirled around, seething. Skyfire stood in the doorway, his own datapad in hand. The red jet calmed. "We should petition them, Skyfire…"

"Petition all you want," Skyfire entered the room and picked up a box full of his belongings. He was a rather simple mech, and carried few mementos with him, so Starscream was not surprised when the larger mech could fit his whole life in one container. "I'm going, Starscream. I won't be coming back."

"…what?" Starscream could barely register the words. "You're…leaving? You're leaving me here?"

"I can't do this anymore. I can't pretend that I have no animosity towards you. You got us _fired_, Starscream. I don't care what the circumstances are…my career and reputation are ruined."

"They were going to fire us anyway, Skyfire! They're firing mechs left and right, the senate is just using this to cover up their retraction of grant money, they're stockpiling it for themselves because a famine is going to hit…!"

"No, Starscream, don't. I don't want to hear of anymore of your dreams or visions or whatever they are. I'm not interested," Skyfire turned towards the door. His shoulders slumped. "Please, Starscream, see someone about this. You're unhealthy."

"No, Skyfire, you can't go!" Starscream raced over and tugged on Skyfire's arm, only to be shoved backwards. "Please! I'm begging you!"

The white jet shook his head and left. The door slid shut behind him, leaving Starscream alone.

"You…left me," Starscream's voice squeaked out. He sank to his knees, his hand reaching out for where Skyfire was. "You can't leave me!" He scowled, his fist clenching even as he felt his internals wrench upon themselves. "You _can't _leave_ me!"_

When the door remained shut, and no one entered, and silence fell over his audios, an uncontrolled shudder wracked his chassis.

His hand lowered and the scowl ran away from his face, replaced with sorrow.

"You…you really did leave me…and I was helpless to stop it…"

"…again…"


	8. Headlines

Chapter Eight: Headlines

The night was silent outside the high grade establishment. All lights were on, and no one stood outside. Inside was just as stark and silent, with only the owner sitting to himself in the corner, and Skyfire, who sat by himself, waiting.

Jobs were beginning to be hard to come by in the science field. Those he had turned to before were now unable to support an extra worker. His network was failing him, especially after many learned of his dismissal from the military.

Nobody wanted a cheater amongst them.

A white figure entered, looked over the establishment, then waved to Skyfire. Skyfire gave a single wave and waited as the mech sat down at the table across from him. "Thanks for meeting me on such short notice, sir."

"Sir?" The mech, whose face was all but covered by a rounded mask, gave a few amused flashes of his helm's side fins. "Just call me Wheeljack, Skyfire. No one else calls me 'sir'."

Skyfire gave a soft smile. "If you say so, Wheeljack. Let me get you something?"

Wheeljack regarded his host. "Are you sure? I don't mean to be rude, but that dent there," he motioned to the dent on Skyfire's torso. "Looks a bit old."

Skyfire nodded. "It's true, I've fallen on hard times but…please, let me get you something," he turned to the owner and waved to get his attention. "Could we have two? My usual?"

The owner looked up from his datapad, regarded the two, then looked back down. "We're out."

"You're out?" Skyfire frowned. "You're never out."

"Well, I'm out now," the owner motioned about the empty place. "If you haven't noticed, business isn't what it used to be. The government pulled my license, saying they can't spare runs to 'petty contraband establishments' when the energon could go elsewhere. Besides, you got a tab big enough to-"

"That's alright," Wheeljack interrupted. "I'm fine, really, Skyfire. It seems like everyone's goin' through some tough times."

Skyfire nodded, returning his attention to Wheeljack. "That's why I contacted you. I knew you were in the area…I'm in the need of a job."

Wheeljack thought a bit, then sat forward. "You know, I heard about that stuff goin' down with the military, and all its scientists bein' given the boot. They tried to make it seem like you made mistakes, but c'mon…we all know better."

Skyfire frowned. "We do? Wait…what?"

"The government's been pullin' grants all over Cybertron. I lost two thirds of my grants as a third party supplier…I'm sorry, Skyfire. I'd hire ya, but I can barely keep enough credits to keep my own workshop functionin'."

Skyfire nodded. "I figured as much, although I had to try."

"Look, you stay around the area right?"

"I might be forced to leave soon. Rent isn't exactly cheap around here."

"Well, if you find you really are on your last chances, give me a call. I can at least give you board. You seem like a decent enough, stand up mech."

"Thanks, Wheeljack, I appreciate it."

Just then, two figures entered the establishment, teetering from high grade consumption. Skyfire frowned a bit as he recognized the two as the jets that always liked to pick on Starscream. He returned his attentions to Wheeljack, who had also turned to regard the two. "Local troublemakers," Skyfire said lowly.

"Well, someone's got some high grade somewhere," Wheeljack turned back in his seat. "Either that or they're brewin' their own, which is kinda dangerous, but when a mech's bored, a mech's bored…"

The owner looked up from his datapad and scowled at the sight of the two as they took a seat at a table near the front of the place. "I told you two to stay clear of here! You unemployed sons of a glitch!"

"What? It's not like anyone else is here," the blue jet replied.

"Save for nerdy-bot's friend and the weirdo," the purple jet snickered.

Wheeljack's fins flashed in surprise. "Weirdo?"

"Hey wait," the blue jet sat up in his seat and produced a datapad. "Isn't nerdy-bot the one with the…with the thing? Where he knows stuff?"

Skyfire scowled. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"No, wait, you guys were gonna do that expedition thing, right? I saw it when they announced it, and I'd never forget that guy after what he said to me. Check it out," he stood and made his way over, clinging to tables for support, and dropped the datapad nearly in Skyfire's lap. Skyfire picked up the datapad, wishing the jet would back off, detecting the moonshine on his chassis. He read the headline and nearly dropped the datapad. "Them scientists that replaced you got lost. No one's heard anything from them for nearly a vorn."

Skyfire read the headline. "Breakthrough Scientists Lost During Expedition…last contact was established shortly after their arrival on the remote planet that is considered to be a host of primitive organic life…" He looked up at the others. "This is…impossible!"

"Improbable, but not impossible," Wheeljack corrected. "I woulda thought you'd known about this. This is why the government finally decided to pull all their funds. Glitch and Gultch here musta gotten the cut too." He motioned with his thumb to the jet.

The purple jet made his way over. "Your nerdy-bot knew about this, didn't he? He's a freak, I say."

"What'd he say to you?" The blue one said.

"He said…" Skyfire stood. "I'm sorry, Wheeljack, er…" he turned to the others.

"Thundercracker," the blue one said. He pointed to the purple. "Skywarp."

"Yes…I'm sorry to cut this short, but I need to go," he hurried out.

"Hey!" Thundercracker called after him. "That's my datapad!" The white jet ignored him and transformed, taking off into the night sky. "He stole my datapad!"

"What was that all about?" Wheeljack asked. The purple jet shrugged.

……

The residence was dark and quiet, standing foreboding against the darker night. Skyfire looked down at the datapad in his hand, rereading the headline, then turned his optics to the door what led to where he once stayed with Starscream.

When he neared the door, it refused to open automatically, even after he used his code. He didn't get a rejection, so he forced the door open and was greeted with darkness. "Illuminate."

The lights didn't obey.

"_Illuminate._"

Again, nothing. He stepped inside and switched on the lights of his cockpit, shedding a wan light into the room. His own energy was heading towards low, and his lights would do nothing but drain it faster. "Starscream?" He ran the light over one of the berths. "Are you here?"

He frowned when he passed the light over the other berth, then over a pile of items in the corner. "Your things are still here," he went over and moved a bit of the pile. Datapads tumbled from the pile, and his lights hit something sitting just beyond it. "Oh…no…"

The offline form of Starscream sat next to his things, or rather, slumped against the wall, legs drawn up and arms slack to his sides. In one hand was one of his arm blasters, or rather, it sat against a slack hand whose fingers curled up towards the ceiling. A blast mark was visible against his cockpit, as if the blast had missed the intended target right above where Skyfire knew the spark-chamber was kept on the tetrajet models. A gaping hole to the left of this mark told Skyfire all he needed to know.

"Starscream…you moron," he gathered the smaller jet up and set him on the nearest berth and connected a cable between them for an emergency energy transfer. He shut off the lights, but not before curling a hand about an unresponsive blue one. He opened a frequency, calling for help.


	9. Allies

_I don't appreciate snarky attitudes in reviews. If you got somethin' to say, put your email next to it. _

Chapter Nine: Allies

The first thing to come was a warning, blaring red to his consciousness, letting him know of damage to his internals, and then came another warning, letting him know that his energy was more than eighty percent depleted, and recommended refueling and avoiding strenuous activity.

The warnings disappeared as his optics came online, slow to focus. They focused on the face of a mech standing above him, blue optics smiling cheerily down at his, side fins flashing. "Well, he functions!"

Starscream's optics flickered. "W…Wheeljack?"

Wheeljack cocked his head, his fins flashing. "Have we met?"

"Wait just an astrosecond…!" The red jet suddenly examined his torso, feeling the repairs that had been made to his blaster wound, and the cracks on his cockpit. He glared up at Wheeljack and tried to sit up, but found himself forced down by two sets of hands. His optics turned to the larger set. "Skyfire?"

The white jet smiled subtly. "Hello, Starscream."

The red jet pushed their hands away and sat up with difficulty. "You let him operate on me?" Starscream regarded Wheeljack with slight abhorrence. "Don't you know his stuff always blows up?"

Skyfire turned to Wheeljack, who held up his hands in defense. "I've yet to have a mech blow up from my repairs. And you know what they say…the walkway to success is polished with failures!"

"Right…" Starscream fingered the newly repaired panels, free of paint and contrasting bare silver metal against the red.

"You missed," Skyfire informed.

"Of course I _missed_," Starscream frowned. "I was so depleted of energy I could hardly hold up the blaster!"

"My work here is done," Wheeljack informed, gathering his tools and setting them away. "Skyfire, if I could have a word with ya? It'd be just a breem or less."

"Sure," the white jet stood from his position of kneeling on the ground and followed Wheeljack out of the room into the night. Skyfire forced the door shut and turned to the smaller bot. "Yes?"

"Look, I'm not one to go stickin' my faceplate in other mech's business, but any mech who is willin' to try and terminate himself needs help. It could just be an emotion chip gone awry or somethin' as simple as not getting' enough energon," he produced both of Starscream's blasters. "I'd keep these outta his reach for a while. And another thing...I never met this mech before, and yet he knows a lot about me. Is there somethin' else goin' on?"

Skyfire took the blasters and pocketed them out of sight. "Yes, but what it is, I'm not exactly sure of."

"Well, I know a guy who might cut you a deal, a doctor. His name's Ratchet, but he's in Iacon at the moment. He knows more about the insides of mechs than I do, or anyone for that matter, that I know of. I'd take your friend to see him if I were you."

"Thanks, Wheeljack, for everything. I'll try, but if I know Starscream, he won't see him unless I force him into stasis and cart him there."

"Whatever it takes?"

"Maybe. Thanks again."

Wheeljack gave a wave and transformed into a small four wheeled vehicle of a flat, sleek design and drove away.

Skyfire watched Wheeljack leave and then headed back inside, forcing the door shut. While Wheeljack had worked on Starscream he had fixed the light. It seemed as if the owner had abandoned the place. Starscream sat on his berth, his hand idle on his chest, his optics turned towards the floor.

"Starscream?"

The smaller mech looked up sheepishly. "I swear I wasn't in my right mind, Skyfire."

"I know," Skyfire sat on the other berth and took in the sight about him. The place was in disrepair since he had last been there. Starscream, unemployed, would have nearly depleted himself of energy not long after he had left, which meant he had been in stasis for nearly a whole vorn. "Wheeljack recommended I take you to go see a doctor. He says there could be something wrong with you. I don't want to offend you, but I agree with him."

Starscream scoffed, but it was half hearted. "It figures. Who did he recommend? Ratchet?"

Skyfire's mouth parted slightly before he shook his head.

"Not Ratchet?"

"No, he recommended Ratchet. You heard us talking?"

"No," Starscream shrugged. "It doesn't matter. I'm not going to see that Au…that mech."

"I figured you'd say as much," Skyfire produced Starscream's blasters and examined them. Starscream had succeeded in upgrading them a bit. "This would have killed you if you had kept your aim."

_Wrong. I doubt I could even kill myself if I wanted to_. Starscream let the white jet examine the offending blasters. "Why did you come back, Skyfire? You said you weren't coming back."

"I wasn't planning on it," Skyfire set the blasters aside and rested his elbows on his knees, looking down on the floor, his optics trailing to Starscream's idly swaying feet. "But, you were right. You were right about everything. I don't know how, and I am still unable to wrap my processor about it, but you were right." He produced the datapad with the news article Thundercracker had shown him and handed it to Starscream. "The military is downsizing. Energon is becoming tight. Our replacement team is gone, missing. I would say it is a triple coincidence, but I don't believe in coincidences. Everything presented before me says that…you can see what happens before it does. You can either read minds or something…there must be a malfunction…or even a recessed processor…"

Starscream read the article and set it aside. "I can't explain it myself, Skyfire. So…you believe me? You don't think I tried to…undermine you?"

Skyfire met his optics. "The only thing I am certain of is that I don't know what to think. If I think too hard on it I'm sure my logic circuits would go on a fritz."

"What would I have to do to convince you?"

"See Ratchet. Have him examine you. If he says you are functioning optimally…then maybe, I don't really know."

"So…you're going to leave again?" Starscream fidgeted in despair.

"No, I'm not going anywhere, at least, not right now. I wish I could apologize for the things I said, Starscream, but…like I said, I don't know what's what anymore. I just know that, like I said before, you're one of my only friends. I suppose I am too forgiving for my own good."

Starscream nodded. "Then I will see Ratchet. I'll prove to you…I wouldn't do anything…I made a promise, Skyfire. I'm not gonna go past it."

Skyfire nodded and stood. "Then let's go. I've only got enough energy to make the trip. You should recharge, or try to, along the way."

Starscream stood as well, cringing from the pain of newly repaired systems. "I'll pay you back for what Wheeljack charged you."

"Don't worry about it. You're more broke than I am, I know that." Skyfire went to the door and forced it open, surprised to see Wheeljack coming back up the walkway, followed by the two jets, Thundercracker and Skywarp. "These two are _everywhere_!"

"Sorry," Wheeljack said as he neared. "These two saw me leavin' and more or less forced me to take them here," he motioned to his arm, as if making out the shape of blasters.

"We can see you," Skywarp informed.

"Sorry, I'm not in the practice of getting' threatened," Wheeljack shrugged. "They had some interestin' things to say…like how your friend," he motioned to Starscream, who peered menacingly at the three from behind Skyfire. "Knows everything about them, things only their creators would know. I mean…he knew who I was. I never met him before, I don't think."

"And he knew the expedition would be a failure," Thundercracker piped. His red optics fell on Starscream. "What else do you know?"

"Yeah, we wanna know!" Skywarp added. "If something big is going down, we think we should know!"

Starscream opened his mouth to retort, but Skyfire beat him to it. "I'm sorry, Skywarp, Thundercracker…Wheeljack. But I'm taking him to Iacon right now."

"We're going with you," Thundercracker said almost immediately. Skywarp nodded.

Wheeljack shrugged. "I might as well go with you as well. I mean, I was only headin' that way anyway."

Skyfire turned to Starscream, who nodded, so he transformed, allowing the four to climb aboard. He took off, turning his nose towards Iacon.


	10. Scars

Chapter Ten: Scars

Skyfire touched down on what had to have been the most polished walkway he had ever seen and allowed his passengers to step out before transforming. The four jets looked about them in awe at the crystalline gilded city sprawling out about them. Building spires towered high above them, and the city fairly bustled, even at that time of night.

_So THIS is what it looked like before the war. Feh! Filthy rich aristocratic Autobots. Even so, now I know why they tried to protect it. Too bad it all gets destroyed…_ Starscream followed Wheeljack and the others as he led them through the narrow suspended roads and walkways.

"He won't be too happy at me waking him up at this time, but what can I do," Wheeljack motioned to the doorway of a modest looking residence. "As far as I know, he's yet to refuse a patient." He pressed the intercom and waited.

"_Ugh…this is Doc Ratchet._"

Starscream smirked to himself.

"Hey Ratch', it's me, Wheeljack."

"_What the…Wheeljack, do you have any _idea_ how late it is?_"

"See, told ya," Wheeljack said to them, fins flashing. The door slid open to reveal a very groggy looking, yet pristine and fairly gleaming Ratchet. "Hey, Ratchet!"

Ratchet glared at his friend, then at the others in turn. "What is this? A military inquisition?"

"Ha!" Starscream scoffed.

"No, Ratchet, this is the mech I told you about. We were wonderin' if you had time for an exam?"

Ratchet returned his glare to his friend. "You're joking, right? Why couldn't this wait until the morning?"

Starscream opened his mouth to speak, but found himself drowned out by Thundercracker. "Look, we came a long way, and we can't wait until morning. Starscream," he motioned to Starscream. "Requires it."

"I'd get on with it, if I were you," Skywarp chimed. Both stepped forward menacingly.

Skyfire and Starscream exchanged glances. "Guys," Skyfire began. "There's no need for that…"

Ratchet didn't seem fazed by it, however, and rolled his optics to Wheeljack, who just shrugged. "Whatever, come in," he moved inside so that the others could follow, with Skyfire ducking through the smaller doorframe. Inside they were greeted by a well furnished reception area, complete with gleaming silver couches. A few empty energon cubes sat here and there. "Have a seat, and excuse the mess, I had a few friends over earlier," he motioned to the couch but frowned when Starscream went to take a seat. "Not you, you come over here," he motioned to a corner of the room. He went over, touched the wall, and a berth slid from it. "I installed this thanks to patients learning where I live," he motioned for Starscream to sit. "I'll be back with some equipment."

Starscream looked over at the jets and hissed. "Thundercracker! Skywarp! What was that?"

Thundercracker shrugged. "We figured you might need some help with that guy. He didn't look very receptive."

"You want us to back off?" Skywarp asked.

Starscream was shocked. "You…are asking me?" he smirked. "Yes, try to behave yourselves." The two nodded. _It seems as if I have some semblances of allies now…and they're more respectful now than they were then. _

Ratchet returned with tools in tow. "I'm assuming this is just basic? Or do I need to go all out here?"

"They want to make sure I'm not crazy," Starscream muttered.

"Also check to make sure his laser core didn't receive any damage due to his…" Skyfire paused, meeting optics with Starscream, who waved for him not to mention it. "His recent injury."

Ratchet's optics flickered. "Alright…"

"Wait!" Starscream held up his hands. "I don't want you touching me if you're going to fall asleep!"

Ratchet fairly threw up his hands and glared at Wheeljack, who only laughed in response.

"Starscream, you promised," Skyfire reminded.

"I didn't _promise_," Starscream muttered even as he pulled himself up onto the berth. "I said I would, not _promise_. And don't just sit there watching like it's some sort of sideshow!"

Starscream heard the snickers of the others even as Ratchet offlined his optics and began disassembling his helm. "I need you conscious for this, but if you feel any pain, be sure to let me…"

"Ow!"

"…know," Ratchet set aside parts of Starscream's helm and began probing inside his cranial casing. Starscream could feel his tools moving about inside; the sensation was grating, sending shudders through his chassis. "Please stay still. If I mess something up, it's not because _I'm_ sleepy or shaky." Silence invaded the room as Ratchet continued. "What exactly am I supposed to be looking for?"

"Defective processors, memory banks, emotion chips," Skyfire suggested.

"Well, for a seeker model, you sure have one massive synapse network going on here, but then again, you seemed wired more for logic and less for whatever it is that seekers do, unless someone planned for you to be some sort of leader. I've seen this in a few mechs, so I am not completely surprised. Nothing cracked, nothing damaged or out of place."

"So I am not crazy?"

"Any mech and his friends who decide to wake me up at this Primus-forsaken hour is crazy," Ratchet paused. "Wait, here's something that could use a little tweaking."

"What? What are you tweaking?"

"It seems as if someone forgot to finish a bit of your personality component," Ratchet set down his tools and seemed to turn to the others. "Does he lose his temper easily?"

"Somewhat, and frequently," Skyfire replied. "Although that wasn't what I was implying that needed examination."

"I can change it though, if you want. I mean, if he can live with it, I don't think it's a problem, but it's unnecessary to go about your functioning days with a screw loose, so to speak."

"I am fine the way _I am_."

"See? That node lit up like the town center when ringing in a stellar cycle."

"I am _fine!_"

Ratchet picked up his tool and Starscream felt a little tug, and suddenly felt calmer. "There, now quit your hollerin'." The medic began to reassemble his helm and brought his optics online before beginning to disassemble the panels of his torso. Starscream watched as his entire cockpit chassis was lifted from his chest. "I don't understand, don't you people have your own medics? Why travel all the way to Iacon from…well, wherever you came from?"

"Vos, and we've all been dismissed from the military. We don't have that benefit anymore."

"Yeah, that's Wheeljack's work," Ratchet fiddled with the fresh repairs, causing a hiss and shudder to come from Starscream. "Oh, quiet. Wheeljack, could you have possibly made this more…more…"

"Spur of the moment? I didn't have all my supplies with me, Ratchet."

"He didn't try any weird experiment on me, did he?"

"No, he just used some…unorthodox methods of patching you up. It's more like a field repair than a long term solution," Ratchet got up and disappeared from the room again, returning with an armful of parts. "I don't have the stuff for your exact model, as flying models aren't exactly thriving here in Iacon, but it will have to do," he began undoing some of Wheeljack's repairs and replacing them with the other parts. Starscream winced under the welder and offlined his optics, not willing to sit and watch surgery on himself.

Soon the repairs stopped, and Starscream felt the outside portion of his spark chamber being lifted off. He brought his optics online to gaze down at his own spark. "Is…it supposed to look like that?"

"No," Ratchet frowned. He prodded about the laser core. Starscream felt his spark react to each touch, and warnings flared up about activity near his core. "Are you getting warnings? Yes? Good. The core is intact and functioning, and everything looks fine…but I don't think I've ever seen this amount of scarring on a spark before." He waited as Wheeljack and Skyfire made their way over. He motioned down a particularly long scratch that marred the surface of the spark. "With this amount of scarring, I would suspect you'd be dead by now. There is no _way_ a spark could survive this sort of injury."

Starscream tried to crane his neck so he could see, but the scar in question was out of his optic's range. _Well, of course it is scarred. I died, blown to bits by Galvatron…twice!_

Skyfire shifted his weight uncomfortably. "Well? What's it mean?"

"I don't know what it means, other than Primus must really like your friend, or he's really lucky," Ratchet lifted the outside cover into place and began replacing panels and the cockpit. "I would be careful though. I mean…I don't really know what to say, actually. I've never seen this before."

"What doesn't deactivate you makes you stronger?" Wheeljack suggested. The others looked up at him blankly. He shrugged and moved off. "Sorry!"

"So, I am not crazy then?" Starscream pushed Ratchet's hand away after he sealed the last panel.

"Far from it, from what I can see," Ratchet sat back. "Although your systems are teetering on depletion of energy."

"Vos is under some sort of…lock down," Skyfire said. "The prices of energon keep going up. We couldn't afford it there."

"It's fine, I have plenty," Ratchet got up and moved to one of the couches. A compartment opened and he pulled out enough energon cubes to go around. "I'll warn you," he said as he passed them around. "It's a concentrated formula, blended to fulfill your energy banks."

Starscream sipped a bit and made a face. "This is the worst tasting stuff ever."

"I never said it would taste good."

Skyfire waited until the others had had their energon before going to the doctor and pulling him aside and speaking lowly. "Are you absolutely certain you did not see anything amiss?"

"Why? Is there something I should know about?"

"He tried to deactivate himself."

"Hmm, that would explain the proximity of that wound," Ratchet turned to look at Starscream, who was sitting idly. "Was he low on his reserves at the time?"

"Well, yes…"

"Any sort of emotional or stressful event?"

"…somewhat. We had just gotten terminated from military service."

"His personality, while wired for logic, is also highly emotional. I fixed that a bit, so he won't go completely nuts whenever something doesn't go his way, but it is not uncommon for some mechs to be delusional when almost forced into stasis. Starvation and depression could have easily triggered this, and it could happen to anyone put in that situation. Some do handle it better than others, but it is never a pretty position to be in."

"Thanks, Ratchet. What do we owe you?"

"Nothing. A friend of Wheeljack's is…" He looked over at Starscream, then at Thundercracker and Skywarp. "Well…_you_ can be a friend of mine. They can be slight acquaintances."

Skyfire grinned and motioned for the others to follow him. "We've taken enough of the good doctor's time."

"Yes, quite," Starscream walked past Ratchet, thought better of it, and faced the doctor. "Uh…thank you." _Oh don't smirk at me. You make me feel almost a little bad for killing you in the future...not a lot of good it did me. The glory and satisfaction of offing a couple of Prime's best warriors and officers was short lived…thanks to Galvatron. Maybe this time…I'll show you mercy._

"It's no problem, just try to plan your visits during more suitable hours," Ratchet replied. He watched as the five filed out and the door slid shut behind them. "I have a feeling I am going to see those military mechs again."


	11. Time

Chapter Eleven: Time

Wheeljack's workshop was small, but just as Starscream remembered it from their numerous raids on it to try and rob him of some device or another that would give them a foothold above the Autobots in the war. It was a tad dusty in places and a bit disorganized, as if he moved from project to project, working on them and finishing them when his interests saw fit.

Thundercracker and Skywarp sat against the far wall, near the door, deep in recharge. Skyfire sat against the only bare wall, his head slumped to his forward, also in recharge. Starscream took the bench that was the only seat, but lay staring up at the ceiling, wide awake.

He opened a private channel.

_Skyfire? Are you awake?_

In the darkness he could see Skyfire flinch and raise his head. His ice blue optics met Starscream's. _I am now._

_Oh. Sorry. Don't let me disturb you._

_What is it, Starscream? _Even over the channel, his voice was calm and gentle.

_I was wondering if…if now you trusted me. After what Ratchet said._

Skyfire moved, drawing his knees up and placing his hands on them. _I know you're not crazy. I know…I know you weren't trying to undermine me. But this…vision stuff…_

_Not exactly something taught at the academy, is it?_

_No. Those two,_ Skyfire motioned to the recharging jets. _They think you can see the future. Until I have some more solid proof…I don't know what to think._ He paused. _That's not what's keeping you up, is it?_

Starscream averted his optics. _No. It…it's nothing, Skyfire. Just so much to think about, that's all._ For emphasis he turned away, making as if he were trying to get comfortable on the bench.

_How did you get all those scars on your spark, Starscream?_

Starscream watched the wall that the bench joined to, crossing his arms. _You wouldn't believe me if I told you._

_Well…even so. I've seen a few sparks; I'm not by any means trained in the medical field but I know what one looks like. If it isn't the curiosity that makes me want to know…it's concern. What happened to you?_

_Everything._

"Are you two up?"

Starscream and Skyfire looked up to find both Thundercracker and Skywarp awake…or rather, Skywarp awake and Thundercracker trying to wake up. Starscream cut off the private transmission. "Couldn't recharge."

"Were you guys talking about stuff? Like, what happens?" The purple jet got up and made his way over and crouched by the bench.

"No, not really…" Skyfire replied.

"What's going to happen in Vos? What about Iacon?"

Starscream exchanged glances with Skyfire and then returned his gaze to Skywarp. "I…"

"Is he talking?" Thundercracker said groggily from the other side of the room.

"He's gonna say something!" Skywarp motioned for his friend to join them. The blue jet made his way over reluctantly and sat, leaning against a work table as he tried not to fall back into recharge. The two turned to Starscream. "Well?"

_Should I tell them? I mean…what happens if they know what happens? If they don't, they end up being recruited by Megatron, but even with them and Skyfire and maybe even Wheeljack, as much as a dolt _he_ is, what could we possibly have to offer in resistance to Megatron? He's probably starting to form the idea of rebelling right now. If we were going to do something…IF…the time to get started would be right now._

Starscream turned to Skyfire, who shrugged. _Skyfire hates war. I know he does. Who knows what will happen to him if he is forced to fight to stay alive? This war should be avoided…because if he doesn't join the Autobots, whom I would never ally myself with, he would never willingly join Megatron's Decepticons. He would be a neutral…and the neutrals are some of the first to perish thanks to the war._

The red jet stood and went over to one of the monitors in the room, switching it on. Picking up a stylus, he drew a straight line and began writing the timeline of his previous life.

…..

Wheeljack entered his workshop to find the lights on and Starscream working busily at a monitor. The two other jets were still in recharge, but not where he had seen them last. Skyfire sat more or less where he had been, watching Starscream as he wrote his notes. "What's goin' on?"

"This is the timeline of events that will happen in the future, at least, it will happen if things are not changed," Starscream replied, stepping away from his work. He pointed to the beginning of the line. "This is where we are, after we avoided the expedition, which did claim the lives of our replacements. This," he motioned to a large part of the line. "This is the civil war that will break out between the revolutionary group of the Decepticons and the Autobots."

"Aren't those the guys who were at the head of the last war?" Wheeljack went over to the monitor and studied it. "That was a long time ago."

"It's going to happen again," Starscream motioned to the monitor. "Right now the senate and all their little nobles and aristocrats who line their pockets are hording energon because the mines within all explored space are going dry. The military and those who aren't 'useful' are going to feel the brunt of it first, mostly in Vos, Tarn, and Kaon," Starscream paused. "Kaon…where the Decepticon movement will start, spearheaded by an ex-soldier named Megatron."

Skyfire moved next to Starscream. "Who is Megatron?"

"Nobody, right now, but if he's allowed to, he will take over the entirety of Cybertron," Starscream met optics with his friend. "He'll start rallying those ex-soldiers and the poor who won't want to stand around while a famine hits. They'll become Megatron's army, the Decepticons. Aside from Megatron, his most loyal followers and friends are mechs named Shockwave and Soundwave. They'll start raiding shipping docks and storehouses, and not just for energon. They're going to go after discarded military weaponry, and establish a stronghold, and by this time they will have plotted against the senate and the Prime…Sentinel Prime, whose successor will go to lead on the Autobots."

"Who defeat Megatron, right?" Skywarp piped.

"Ha! No," Starscream scoffed. "The Autobots are too protective, and don't take necessary tactics to stomp out Megatron on the _numerous_ occasions when they are able to. Mercy may be a virtue, but Megatron doesn't believe in mercy," he paused, shuddering. He pointed to a point in time, nearly sixty thousand vorns in the future. "After losing most of the planet to Megatron, the Autobots make a desperate run for energy, but Megatron follows, and they crash land on…well, on the planet we were supposed to survey. They continue the war there after forty eight thousand vorns because by that time, the planet will have evolved many types of life, with its most ancient dead becoming a type of fuel. During this time, Cybertron is nearly laid to waste, and any surviving inhabitants are forced into stasis. This enables Megatron to take control of Cybertron."

"What's that at the end of the line?"

Starscream scowled. "…I die."

The others visibly shrunk back from the red jet. Even Skyfire, who earlier made it clear that he did not buy into these stories, seemed upset. "Are you sure?"

"I am positive."

"…how?"

Starscream 's scowl deepened. The stylus suddenly snapped in two from the grip he had on it. "Megatron." He shook from anger. "He…_kills me!_"

The others exchanged glances. Wheeljack shrugged. "Well, if you know how it happens, can't you change it?"

Skyfire took Starscream's hand and uncurled his fingers from the broken stylus. Starscream relinquished it and moved away from the group, sitting on the bench. "I'm not too familiar with time paradoxes, although I can safely assume that, if anything, this is what produces these images for Starscream, if they are in fact true representations of the future. It would only be logical that, if something in the timeline is changed, a new timeline, even if only slightly different, would emerge, and if something is avoided, the memory of it would be erased with no accord to it or the avoidance of the event. It would be as if it never happened."

"I remember what happened to you in the ice, Skyfire," Starscream muttered, his head in his hands.

"Yes, that makes more sense to me than just 'images' and 'visions'," Wheeljack said. "But I've seen some pretty unexplainable things in my time. Like…for one, how did your friend know my name? Or any of the details about these two," Wheeljack motioned to the other jets, who shrugged.

"Because if we continue as we are, and do not stop Megatron, Thundercracker and Skywarp join his forces."

"Nuh uh," Thundercracker spoke up. "I don't want to end up on some dustball planet in the future."

"Yeah, you don't tell us what happens to _us_," Skywarp added. "Like, how we die."

Starscream shrugged. "I think the Autobots…you know…"

"The Autobots _what?_"

"If I was you, I wouldn't want to know," Wheeljack interjected. "Wait…do you know what happens to me?"

"Yes, you…"

"No! I don't want to know."

_Good, because I don't think I want to explain just who I've killed._ Starscream let his hands fall onto his legs and looked up at the others. "Well?"

"I wanna see who this Megatron character is," Thundercracker said. "I mean, if you're goin', I wanna go."

"Kaon? I dunno," Wheeljack cringed. "I'm just as curious as the next bot, but Kaon…you're talkin' some really rough territory."

"It's a military state as well, isn't it?" Skyfire asked.

"Yes, but it breeds a different kind of soldier," Starscream said. "More ruthless. Megatron would start the war and would be reluctant to end it because it's all he knows. I know he would fight until he was the only one standing."

"That doesn't sound very good," Wheeljack muttered.

"How about we think on this for an orn," Skyfire suggested. "I mean…surely if we were to go to Kaon, if that's where we intend to go, although I am against the idea, we would need to be prepared?"

"Yes, Skyfire is right," Starscream stood and paced. "We certainly cannot go into Kaon unarmed," he met optics with Skyfire. "If we go, that is."

"We haven't enough credits to get weapons, and we'd have to leave Iacon to steal some," Thundercracker said. "No thanks to the military."

Starscream's inner radio crackled. _Starscream?_

_Yes, Skyfire?_

_You aren't seriously considering going to Kaon, are you? This is…Kaon. I mean, you know as well as I do what happens there!_

_Don't you want to stop this from happening?_

_Yes, if it were to happen, but in theory, it is completely unfounded…_

Starscream cycled a sigh. The others looked to him, waiting. He hated it, but he thought it was best to…

"We'll wait here for the time being…while I, uh, devise a plan," he went to the door and, as it slid open, cast a glance at the scribbles and lines on the monitor. He looked back at his friends. _Are they really willing to follow me to Kaon?_

His red optics met ice blue ones.

_No…there still needs to be proof._

_How can I prove what is yet to happen?_

_Or what may not ever happen?_


	12. Decision

Chapter Twelve: Decision

When the moons rose, and the city began to bustle with increased fervor than it had seen in the night, Starscream still sat on the very top spire of the building that housed Wheeljack's residence and workshop, contemplating his choices.

_If I do nothing, the war will break out as before. I could never serve under Megatron again, which would force us into exile, detention, or to be forced into stasis when the time comes. I doubt Megatron would rise to power so quickly without me by his side whenever he needs this gadget or that explanation, or I sincerely doubt he would find a competent aerial commander such as myself. Despite all the times he tried to kill me, he needed me. _

_I cannot ally myself with the Autobots. Their idea of government is too old fashioned, with a bunch of greedy aftheads ruling the world, keeping it in check and not solving the issues that plague its people. If the Prime was as smart as someone of his rank and office should be, he would look past this fake famine when it arrives, and look into the activities of those below him. The Autobots believed that, if they won the war, such a government could be easily reinstated! The people wouldn't be able to trust that government, despite how noble and honest Optimus said he was. _

_If I am to stop Megatron…and it would be no shortage of pleasure to bring folly to that moron's plans…I need allies, more allies than Skywarp, Thundercracker, Wheeljack and Skyfire. Skywarp is a dolt, and Thundercracker doesn't know which way to turn, let alone who to ally himself with. Wheeljack was an Autobot then…and he is friends with a future Autobot now, and might be friends with even more of them. And Skyfire…_

_The others are curious and eager to believe the things I say, and yet the one person whose opinion I truly care about is still not convinced. I have no proof to give him, just what I know, and there is no way for me to show him what I've seen, what I know. I mean, there is a way, but he won't let me touch him, let alone _that_…_

Starscream watched the clueless citizens of Iacon as they bustled through the walkways and roads below him. _They couldn't possibly know what is to happen. The senate must be exposed, if Megatron is stopped from accomplishing his goals of amassing an army. The only way for this planet to survive is for the senate to be abolished, for the Prime to be removed from rank, and for the Autobots to be kept from organizing. But there is possibly no need for a war. _

_But first things first. Megatron must be stopped, and that in itself might create a war. If I hit him now, and hit him hard, I just might be able to shake his confidence and the confidence of those who wish to follow him. _

Below, Skyfire stepped out of the workshop, his hands and torso fairly covered in metal residue. The tall jet waved to him. Starscream smiled to himself and waved him up. The large jet soared up and landed on the roof, his hand curling about the spire antennae. "What are you thinking about?"

"How to stop Megatron."

"The mech who…supposedly kills you."

Starscream nodded, drawing up his knees and resting his arms on them. "I don't just see these things, Skyfire. I feel them too. You…you want to know where all those scars come from on my spark? Each one is attached to a memory. I've nearly died so many times. Gal…When Megatron shot me, it was the worst pain I have ever felt. It was the pain of betrayal, and then fire. I felt as if my circuits were all being torn from me at once. I couldn't register it…it was too much to process. I could _see_ my body as it disintegrated, right in front of me," his hand rested over his chest, over where his spark lay. "I could see his smile when he did it. He knew what he was doing. He has done it before, and would do it again, and it doesn't matter to whom. If it serves his purpose, he will cut them down without a care."

"You talk as if it already happened."

"It did. Or it will."

Skyfire was silent. The bustle of the city below intermingled with their thoughts, and was only interrupted by the sound of Skyfire taking a seat next to Starscream. "You aren't telling us the whole story, are you?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because you'd hate me if I told you."

"I doubt that."

"Promise me."

"Promise?"

"Promise me that, no matter what I say, you wont see what I did, but what I am now?"

"Starscream…"

"At least try not to."

"Well, I can try not to. I mean…what did you do, in these visions? I hardly doubt this is a bunch of visions."

"No, it's not," Starscream lowered his hand. It grazed Skyfire's, prompting him to remove it. "Sorry. It's…"

Skyfire cycled a sigh, rather loud for himself, and grabbed up Starscream's hand, although his expression was bordering on impatient. "Just tell me. I'm giving you the chance to let me know everything, and I am trying to trust what you say."

Starscream nodded and brought his optics to Skyfire's. "It's almost like…another life. In this vision, in this other life, you weren't there. I wasn't even here now. When I returned, things were already crumbling. The Decepticons were already gaining power. I was faced with two choices; join the Autobots, who represented the government still trying to keep ahold of its power, or join the Decepticons under Megatron's rule."

"You chose the Decepticons."

"Ye…how'd you guess?"

"With all this talk of famine and war, and just coming from being let go from the military for what really was no real reason, it seems logical that you wouldn't ally yourself with a faction trying to reinstate a failing government."

Starscream smiled. "Well…I became Megatron's right hand man. When the war didn't end, despite all the chances we had to irradiate the Autobots, I knew that Megatron was dragging out the war for his own personal glory. It made him feel big. I knew he was afraid of what life would be like after the war. I tried so many times to overthrow him, but I just _couldn't_!"

"Irradicate?" Skyfire tried to hide his shock, but was unsuccessful. "You're saying…you killed people?"

Starscream avoided his optics and wrenched his hand away. "Yes. I killed civilians and soldiers alike. I killed Ratchet, and I aided to the death of Wheeljack, who would both become Autobots. I even aided to the death of Thundercracker and Skywarp, somewhat."

Once again Skyfire fell silent. "And me? I just…died on this planet?"

Starscream shook his head. "You…we found you, after a hundred thousand vorns. You became an Autobot."

"Your enemy."

Starscream nodded, then scoffed. "A reluctant enemy. I hardly ever saw you on the front." Starscream scowled. "What am I saying? This will never happen! I can't let it! I can't just stand here and let it happen!" He turned to Skyfire. "I don't want to become like that, again. Or ever."

"So I take it you want to go to Kaon to face Megatron. The mech who, in your mind, killed you."

"I can't do it alone, and I cannot do it unarmed. I don't know if I could face Megatron, but I've got to try…what? You don't believe me, do you? Even after all I've said?"

"Something inside still tells me this could be…"

"A lie?"

"No…"

"I am not lying, Skyfire. I could pass a fib off at the others but I can't lie to you."

"You covered up this whole story before. That is almost like lying, if it isn't the same thing."

Starscream's mouth tightened into a small line. "Fine. At least go with me to Kaon. You'll see I am telling the truth. See Megatron for yourself."

"I was planning to go anyway, if you went. Kaon isn't a nice place…even a mech such as yourself, who thinks at times that he is invincible, needs someone to make sure he stays alive." He mimicked Starscream's smirk, only to end up laughing.

"Yes, Megatron," the muttered word was saturated with contempt. _I'll show you Megatron, so you can see just how vile he is. And I will finally have a chance to see him fail, where I have failed so many times._

_The tables have turned. _


	13. Weapons

Chapter Thirteen: Weapons

"Where are we _going?_" Skywarp whined. He looked at the Iacon citizens as they cast them odd glances while they walked along. "These rich people give me the creeps."

"If you keep talking, they'll stare more," Thundercracker replied. "Look at them…not a one of them with wings. How do people function this way? I have never seen so many walkways in my existence."

Starscream scowled as he led the two through the city. "We are going to obtain weapons, I told you both!"

"How do you know how to find weapons in Iacon?" Thundercracker asked.

"I just know."

"Oh, like one of them visions?"

"Something like that. I know there is a mech here who can help us obtain what we need, but unfortunately I am going to need to rely on convincing him to give them to us on the promise of payment, because we haven't a credit between us," Starscream stopped before a building and looked at the tall glass doors. "This is it," he turned to the two seekers. "Try not to embarrass me?"

"Hey, you brought us along," Skywarp quipped. He laughed, then was elbowed by Thundercracker. "Ow."

Starscream glared at them in turn, then pushed the doors open. The doors led to a foyer lined with mirrors and a polished floor. A single yellow femme stood at the center, on a polished metal podium, which was before a metal elevator. The femme smiled at them. "Welcome! How may I help you?"

"We're here to meet one of the merchants whom I am told has an office here," Starscream said. "If I am not mistaken, his name is Sideswipe."

"Oh," the femme nodded. "Please wait, and I will contact the office." She was silent for a bit, and her smile faltered a bit, but she was quick to replace it with a polite smile once more. "I am sorry, sir…"

"Starscream."

"I'm sorry, Starscream, but it appears that Sideswipe has closed for the day. Would you be interested in making an appointment for tomorrow, or seeing one of the other merchants in the building?"

"No," Starscream frowned. "Is he here now?"

"Well, yes, but I am afraid…"

Starscream waved her off and headed to the elevator. Skywarp snickered and followed, but Thundercracker was quick to aim a blaster her way when she tried to step off the podium to stop them. She stepped back onto the podium. "What floor?"

"Uh…thirty first?"

"Thanks!" Thundercracker hurried to the elevator. A glass door slid up over the opening, and they rose, Skywarp's laughter muffled by the glass.

The elevator stopped in the middle of a large room, gleaming and polished like the lobby, but furnished with gleaming couches and colorful artwork decorating the walls, framed by windows on one side and one doorway on the other. The two stepped out and were immediately greeted by a scowling, tall red mech.

"Just who in the pit do you think you are?" The red mech went over to them and motioned to the elevator. "Leave, before I report you for pulling a weapon on a citizen!"

Starscream smirked. "Hello, Sideswipe." He moved away, but found his arm yanked back and his back slammed into the metal of the elevator tube. He scowled at the red mech.

"You got a lot of nerve, military walking in here like you own the place. This is a private business."

Starscream looked at his arm, then at Sideswipe. "Let go of me. This is an urgent matter, and I only pressed the issue with your little secretary downstairs because time is of the essence. I have the credits; don't make me go to someone else," he smirked when Sideswipe's grip lessened. "Although I don't want to. And we aren't here on the behalf of the military."

"Yeah, right," Sideswipe let him go and retreated a few steps. "So, what is it?"

"Is this how he treats his customers?" Thundercracker asked.

"I wonder how he keeps his business running, with work ethics like these," Skywarp chimed.

Sideswipe cycled a sigh. "Fine, please, have a seat," he motioned to a couch that faced another. He took a seat on one as Starscream sat across from him. The other two jets remained standing. "Who are they, your bodyguards?"

"In a sense, albeit unofficially," Starscream produced a datapad. "I'm looking for at least one, no more than five, to begin with, of each of the items here, if possible. I'd be satisfied with anything, but not nothing. I've heard that you are the one to contact regarding special…hard to come by items. Things the trading council would lock you away for if they ever found out you had anything to do with them trading hands."

Sideswipe leaned back in his seat, draping his arms over the back of the couch. "Are you sure you aren't with the military?"

"We're…disgruntled ex-employees," Starscream held up the datapad.

Sideswipe eyed it, then him, then leaned forward and took the datapad. His optics immediately flickered. "Um…this is quite a list. Melee blasters and rifles, military issue hand held blasters, sniper rifles, cluster bombs, null ray…oh, 'a' null ray, just one…missiles and missile launchers...you have everything here but energon swords and flamethrowers," he laughed and set the datapad down. "What makes you think I do this sort of trade? I could have you, all three of you, locked up for even suggesting that I try to find this for you."

"Don't play around with me, Sideswipe. I know you've secretly had your fingers in the black market for vorns, especially when it comes to illegal hooch for aristocrats and their soirees. They may pretend to be better than everyone else, but we all know they enjoy a night or two of drunken revelry like the next mech."

"That's contraband, not illegal arms dealings."

"Contraband won't pay you what I'd pay you."

"You? Pay me? I see repairs made without paint, old dents, and you all look like you could use a nice helping of energon. What are you trying to pull? I doubt that if you go crazy on the military that they're gonna give you your jobs back."

"There's gonna be a war, and a famine," Skywarp said. Starscream scowled and shot him a look, but either he didn't see or he didn't seem to understand. "We need to be prepared."

"You should tell him what you know, Starscream," Thundercracker said, less enthusiastically. "He isn't going to listen to us."

"Damn right I'm not going to listen to you. What? Are you some kind of mind reader or what?" Sideswipe let out a laugh. "This is rich. C'mon, tell me something. I wanna hear this." He grinned, sitting back in his seat once more.

Starscream finished his glare at his companions and turned to Sideswipe. "You're going to think I'm crazy…"

"I already think you're crazy. Just tell me something."

Starscream nodded. "There's going to be a war, and…" He let his optics idle. They landed on a colorful abstract painting behind Sideswipe, hanging on a support petition between glass windows that looked out onto the city far below. "Sunstreaker painted that?"

Sideswipe's smile faded a small bit. "You know my brother?"

_Yes, unfortunately…_ "Yes…he's an artist," Starscream stood and went over to the painting. "I've never actually seen any of his material," he turned to Sideswipe, who was watching him from the couch, over his shoulder. "He's actually rather good. Too bad he's so secretive about it."

"What are you talking about? His patrons are all throughout this city. You can see one at the shuttle station down the way."

Starscream cursed himself inwardly. He wracked his processors for something, and realized he knew very little about the twins. _The only times I saw them was when they were beating the slag out of someone or other, or while I was shooting them down on the field. I know from rumors about their pranks. I know Sideswipe is the nice one, Sunstreaker is the mean one, the one who complains about dirt so much you'd think he was afraid of it…_

The smirk found its way back to Starscream's face.

He turned to Sideswipe, walked over, and leaned down so that Sideswipe and Sideswipe alone could hear him. "Should I mention Sunstreaker's little obsessive compulsive dirt fear, or should I keep that to myself?" He straightened, seeing immediately the effect the words had taken on the red mech, who sat with wide optics. "I mean, it's not like many people _know_ about it. He keeps the fact pretty well hidden." He turned to the two jets.

"No, wait!" Sideswipe stood and stepped in front of Starscream to intercept him. "You…don't need to say that to anyone. I can…request payment after I obtain the items, if I can."

Starscream's smirk grew fouler. "That's more like it."

"But I'm going to have to double the price you listed, for having to wait until reciept," he stepped closer. "Don't tell anyone what you said, you hear? I don't know how you know that, in fact it's downright creepy."

"Because only you know, right?"

"Well, that _was_ the case."

"How soon can we expect your call?"

"Ten orns."

"You work fast."

Sideswipe smirked. "I have a reputation to maintain."

Just then, the other door in the room opened, letting in a yellow mech of similar height, only his helm was adorned by side fins. The mech gleamed so much it was almost painful to Starscream's optics, but didn't seem to notice the three jets as he wandered about, looking for something. He grabbed up a cloth that had been sitting on one of the couches and began rubbing his hands off on it. Starscream nodded towards the new mech. "Hello, Sunstreaker."

The yellow mech looked up, surprised to hear his name. "Excuse me?"

Starscream shifted his optics to the red brother. "I won't be taking anymore of your time. Thank you." They stepped to the elevator, which rose and opened for them. The two brothers waited until the elevator lowered and they were out of sight.

"Sunny, you ever see that military seeker before?"

"No…why?"

"I wonder…how he knew who you were."

"I was wondering the same thing. Did someone recommend me to them?"

"I doubt it; they don't look like they associate in the aristocratic, art patron circuit. They don't even look like they're from this state."

Sunstreaker shrugged and went to the couch, sitting to buff out a non-existent mar on his paint. He spied the datapad and held it up to read. "Sides…what's this?"

"Nothing, I'm not doing it," Sideswipe lied. "That was so bizarre…wanna go out? I need a drink."

Sunstreaker set down the datapad and stood. "Sure."


	14. Deal

Chapter Fourteen: Deal

The bulky mustard colored mech leaned against a crate, waiting patiently with arms folded and legs crossed. The crate stood atop others on a pallet, surrounded by like pallets, in a dim lighted warehouse. He could fairly hear the high grade humming about him. He smiled.

The side door to the warehouse's large bay doors opened, letting in a solitary tall red figure, who gave him a wave before walking in, his optics inspecting the load laid out before him. "This isn't my entire order," Sideswipe said, coming up to him. "What gives?"

"This wasn't easy to come by," the yellow said. "Apparently, security is becoming tighter and tighter. I had to shave off a few crates from a shipment here or there. It's all illegal anyway, so I don't think they'll care, but I can't risk anyone noticing what's up."

"Shipments to where?"

"Rich cities, rich bots, who deal with me directly. You know, the kind who has _your_ customers wrapped around their fingers."

Sideswipe frowned. "I can't give my customers partial orders, Swindle. They'll slag off and go to someone else."

"No one else is dealing this much energon," Swindle motioned with his arms about him. "Don't worry, they aren't going to go anywhere else." He spied the datapad in Sideswipe's hand. "Is that another order? Gimme."

"This isn't my usual type of thing, in fact, it never has been, but I've been promised a handsome sum, and I know you know where to find this stuff if anyone does. 'Shave' a bit off here or there, as you say," he gave him the datapad and waited as the he scrolled through the list. "Is this something I can count on you for, or am I to expect another incomplete shipment?"

Swindle gave a grin. "Contraband is easy to smuggle, at least, compared to this kind of stuff."

"You're saying you can't do it?"

"No, I'm not saying that, I'm just saying it's going to be difficult, and besides, this stuff…missiles, blasters…what the pit is a null ray?"

"I don't know. They only want one though."

"This stuff is regulated by the military. Very rarely does it pass through places like this, if ever."

"What if I told you that it was a bunch of 'disgruntled ex-employees' of the military who wanted it?"

"Why can't they get it themselves, if they're the damned military?"

"Ex-employees, Swindle."

"Well…let me think," Swindle made a show of thinking, tapping his helm with a finger. "As far as I know, the military operations in Vos have halted, and energon shipments to there have basically drained to the nitty-gritty. I doubt I could persuade a manufacturer to pass through here to get to there."

"What about Kaon?"

"Even I don't go to Kaon, Sides. I mean I would, but not for smuggling. Not yet, anyway."

"You got someone who would?"

Swindle thought, then grinned, snapping his fingers. "I just might. Take your shipment, and by the time you come back, I just might have a mech who could get you these items."

"Alright," Sideswipe motioned to the door. "You have a tally list, I assume?"

"Yeah, but take off a pallet."

"What? Why?"

"This mech doesn't deal in credits, just barter. Consider it a 'down payment'."

Sideswipe glared, "This bot better not be some loose riveted loser, Swindle."

The yellow mech shrugged, grinning, then laughed as Sideswipe left the way he came. "It's nice doing business with you, Sides!"

……..

An orn and a half later, the warehouse stood empty, save for Swindle, who once again waited patiently, alongside Sideswipe, who waited less patiently. Behind them was the single pallet of crates containing energon on a floating jack. "Relax, Sides. He'll show."

"I only have ten orns…or rather, six now, to get this done."

"You give yourself too little time. Sometimes I think you get bored at what you do, and give yourself impossible time limits because the stress keeps you occupied."

"Well, of course."

The small door opened and a slim white and purple mech sauntered inside. Immediately Sideswipe took a disliking to him; he walked too easily, he smiled too soon. Sideswipe's optics turned to the strange purple symbol on the mech's torso. "Well, hello there, Swindle. I just love how you can read my mind," the mech stopped before them and motioned to the crates. "I'm terribly sorry I couldn't discuss this when you contacted me, but some mechs in Kaon are nasty spies and gossips. Besides, anything to get me out of that sorry excuse for a state is worth it."

"It's no problem, Octane," Swindle replied. "Now, I know my Iaconian friend here is a bit wary when dealing with new people, so I take it you brought proof?"

"If by proof you meant that one worded hint you gave me, yeah, I got it," Octane unpocketed a slim but long black box. He held it up for Sideswipe. "This is some advanced technology. Whoever requested this must've known it was being developed. It wasn't hard to obtain…let's just say it was a 'steal'." Swindle and Octane exchanged grins.

Sideswipe eyed Octane as he took the box. He opened it to reveal what looked like a highly modified blaster, much like the ones Starscream carried. "This is the null ray?"

"And the powerchip rectifier needed to program it," Octane said, pointing to a gleaming chip set into the box. "Without that, it's just another blaster."

"Where'd you get it, if you don't mind my asking?" Sideswipe closed the lid and pocketed the box.

"Eh, Kaon is more or less independent of the Prime's and Senate's laws. I mean, some they obey, some they…bend slightly or maybe even squint to make it fit their ways, right? The military is getting a lot of pain right now, I don't know why. I'm not to worried about it, but this mech in Kaon, Megatron, has got it in his processors that he and his buddies are gonna take over Kaon for themselves. If you ask me, he's just a bored idiot who likes to hear his own vocal processors. He's been hoarding this stuff for a while."

"Won't he miss it?"

"No, I don't think he would. If he notices it gone and somehow pinpoints it to me, which I doubt he'll do, he can't do a thing about it because I'm the sole energon supplier for him."

"You seem a bit confident. I hope you're taking the precautions for this. The last thing I need is for anyone outside of this warehouse to learn I am even involved," Sideswipe pointed a finger to Octane, then to Swindle. "Understood?"

"You've got nothing to worry about," Octane waved the idea off. "Just transfer your payment in credits left over from what you're gonna pay Swindle for finder's into energon, and the next time you're here you'll have a complete order for…whoever it is this is going to. Who is it going to, by the way?"

"That's…secret."

"Well, whoever it is, wish him or her the best of luck with his or her arsenal adventures," Octane moved over to the pallet and tugged on the jack.

"When can I expect this?"

"Give me fifteen orns."

"Fifteen? I only have six."

Octane laughed as he tugged the pallet past them. "Please, don't make me laugh. Most of that time will be spent smuggling the stuff from under Megatron's faceplate _and_ smuggling myself in and smuggling myself and the weapons out of Kaon. So…if they come to you wrapped in knock off sparkling toys, don't be surprised. Bay doors, please, Swindle?"

Swindle motioned to the bay doors, opening them by hidden remote. Octane gave a single wave before exiting the warehouse. The bay doors slid shut behind him. Swindle patted Sideswipe's arm. "See? Told you he'd show up."

"My client is not going to be happy with this time frame," Sideswipe glared at him.

"Your client, or _you_, Sideswipe?"

Sideswipe smirked and made his way to the door. "See you in fifteen orns." The door clanged shut behind the tall mech, leaving Swindle to himself.

"See your _credits_ in fifteen orns," Swindle grinned, rubbing his hands together. "I love my hobbies."


	15. Price

Chapter Fifteen: Price

Starscream tapped the armrest of the gleaming couch in Sideswipe's office impatiently. He had been there for nearly ten breems and there was no sign of the red mech. He glanced at his hand and noticed just how dirty it seemed, the paint chipped here and there. _I'm not one to be frivolous about maintenance, but it is starting to get bad._

He looked about, noting just how _wonderful_ Sideswipe seemed to have it. Starscream felt out of place, as he felt in Iacon itself. His optics stared at the abstract painting framed by windows in front of him.

_Interesting how, before the war, the twins were somewhat…civilized. Somewhat. I remember how we used to argue on if they'd make good Decepticons. I don't think they would. They're too…wholesome. As if their creators ground it in their head that the only good way of life is the Iaconian way of life…which means of course they'd do anything to protect it._

He frowned as he thought of the two on the battlefield. They had been fierce and without mercy, quite unlike most Autobots.

_Maybe I should have brought Thundercracker and Skywarp with me this time. They're idiots, but they're forceful idiots. Or at least Skyfire, but he's too busy tinkering in Wheeljack's laboratory. At least the three of them got some semblance of jobs, with those twaddling morons working in 'shipment', or whatever that means, and Skyfire increasing Wheeljack's production. I'm surprised the future Autobot hasn't kicked us out yet._

The red jet frowned a bittersweet frown.

_He and Skyfire are rather close friends now. I suppose I should be glad…although I'd rather be the one in there making up mad scientist inventions with Skyfire, not Wheeljack. But at least now Skyfire has someone else besides me as a friend…oh who am I kidding? That sorry excuse for a scientist has more interaction with my 'best friend' than I do!_

Starscream's hand clenched on the armrest.

"Hey, cool it, that's expensive," Sideswipe said from the elevator. He took one look at Starscream's irritated expression. "I hope you weren't waiting long."

"You've made it abundantly clear that you despise working for me, I needn't a reminder of the fact by being made to sit around all day!"

Sideswipe hesitated at the tone of Starscream's voice, then made his way over, unpocketing the long black box. "Despite whatever blackmail material you have on me or my brother, I still need to get paid."

"That doesn't look like my entire order, Sideswipe."

"It's proof that it will come, but I need more time."

"You said ten orns!"

"Now it's fifteen! But you'll get it, all of it, so don't get your circuits in a knot," Sideswipe held out the box for him. Starscream snatched it away and opened it, his irritated expression instantly melting away. "I knew you'd like it."

"You even remembered the powerchip rectifier," Starscream grinned, holding the tiny object up. He grinned at Sideswipe. "Fine. Fifteen orns. Now, I know you didn't go to Kaon for this," Starscream opened his cockpit panel and inserted the powerchip rectifier. He set to taking off the blaster on his right arm and set it on the couch.

"No, we have a contact who has been smuggling energon for some Megaprone guy down there, and he's giving us this mech's weapons for energon."

Starscream froze as he was fitting the new blaster on his arm. "What? Do you mean Megatron?"

"Yeah, that's it. Why, you know him?"

"In a way," Starscream scowled, finishing the fitting. He stood and aimed the blaster with his arm to nowhere in particular. "It feels good. A bit on the early stages of development, but definitely the technology I need."

"When I get the rest of the shipment in, I need you to come to the docks to pick it up, Starscream. I'll go with you to ensure payment, and to pay my mech on the other side, but once credits trade accounts I want nothing to do with this."

"No problem," Starscream pulled out a datapad and handed it to Sideswipe. "Here's nearly half of what we owe you."

"Then you should be glad that I need this extra time. I'd hate to have to coerce the rest from you," Sideswipe approved the transfer of credits and handed the datapad back to Starscream.

"Coerce? Is that when you send your mechs after me for more credits?"

"No, I take care of my customers myself," Sideswipe grinned. "Sometimes my brother helps but…yeah. I believe in personal, one on one relationships with my customers," his grin turned serious. "It ensures satisfaction for both parties involved."

"Don't worry!" Starscream stood, throwing the old blaster in the box and tucking it under his arm. "You'll get the rest of your credits in five orns." He smirked and disappeared down the elevator. The yellow femme waved a timid goodbye as he stalked out the glass doors. "Pff, twit," he muttered, looking back at her. He stepped out onto the walkway and collided right into the frame of a yellow mech. "Watch where you are going!" He pushed himself away from the mech and glared at him. "Oh…Sunstreaker. Hello again."

The yellow mech glared at him, then made a show of rubbing invisible grime from his arm and torso. Starscream moved off hurriedly under the glare of the yellow brother. Scowling, Sunstreaker pushed the glass doors open again, giving the yellow femme hardly a glance, before going into the elevator and up to the 31st floor.

There his brother stood talking through a one way connection, nodding and laughing.

Sunstreaker scowled as the glass door to the elevator slid open, letting him inside the office. His brother turned to wave to him but took one look at the scowl and knew better. "Heh, let me call you back, alright? Yes…goodbye." He turned to Sunstreaker. "What's up, Sunny?"

"What the pit was that military slag doing here again? I thought you said you weren't going to do weapon smuggling!" Sunstreaker pointed to the elevator as he neared his brother.

"I…changed my mind. It's no big deal, Sunny. Besides, I could use the credits, after the crap Swindle pulled with the last energon shipment. You would have done the same."

"I make _paintings_, Sides! I don't deal illegal _weapons_! Do you even know what they're going to do with those things?"

"No, it's not my business to ask."

"You're lying. You know." Sunstreaker folded his arms. His optics caught a glimpse of something or other on his arm and brought out a rag to clean it.

Sideswipe watched him. "They blackmailed me, Sunny. They know stuff about us."

"Like what?"

The red mech shrugged. "Fear of dirt?"

Sunstreaker's optics shot up. "How the slag could they know that, Sides, if you're the only one I've ever told this to?"

"I didn't tell them, Sunny. They _knew_. I don't know how they know, but they knew."

"Shut up, Sides. I don't know what your deal is, but now you're lying to me out your faceplate as if you were trying to sell me something. I'm not a _customer_, Sides, I'm your brother! Who else did you tell this to, huh? I swear if this gets out…"

"I'm _not_ lying," it was Sideswipe's turn to scowl. "I don't lie to you, Sunny, and you know it."

"I'm finding even that hard to believe. Cancel the order."

"What? No."

Sunstreaker stepped forward, closing distance between himself and his brother. "Cancel. The. Order."

"You can't tell me how to run my own business, Sunny. I'm taking this order to protect you."

"I don't need protection from you," Sunstreaker spat, his hand whipping out to shove his brother. The red mech stumbled back from the blow, then scowled and rushed his brother.

…….

The yellow femme slumped with boredom and admired the polish on her hand. "I really gotta get a new job. This place used to be bustling, now all I get is that sour faced mech Sunny and dirty military bots running through here, without a sense of manners if their existence depended on it."

She caught her reflection in the mirrors that lined the foyer and posed, smiling at herself. "Ugh, I really need to get a wax in, I look horrible…"

The elevator dropped, releasing an irate Sunstreaker. His arm was mangled, and he carried fresh dents all over his chassis. The yellow femme watched him leave and opened a connection to the 31st floor. "Sideswipe, sir? Is everything alright?"

"No, send for a doctor."

"What happened?"

"Who cares what _happened_?! Hurry up!"

The yellow femme cut the connection and scowled. "I _really_ need to get a new job…"


	16. Docks

Chapter Sixteen: Docks

The docks stood pristine and clean during the midday, its gold colored walkways and hangars gleaming in the light reflected on the clouds above. The three seekers stood waiting by a pile of crates, beat down and haggard looking next to all that shine, with Skyfire standing not far off, admiring the architecture to himself.

"You know, if our boss catches us here, he's gonna wonder why we asked for a day off," Thundercracker said.

"I thought Starscream was our boss?" Skywarp replied.

"Not that boss, the other boss."

"You two are working at the docks?" Starscream turned to them.

"What else are we gonna do? We just walked by and they offered us a job," Thundercracker shrugged.

"It's fine," Starscream scowled. He turned to Skyfire, who flashed him the briefest of smiles. The red jet's optics turned to Skyfire's hands, which were once white and pristine but were now scarred with black residue from his work with Wheeljack.

Skyfire seemed to notice and held up his hands in helplessness. "Our recent attempts at creating a more fuel efficient power converter were a bit disastrous."

"It blew up, didn't it?"

Skyfire shrugged, smiling. "It was a small explosion, at least by Wheeljack's standards, or so he says. I tried washing it off. I might just have to strip the paint and redo it."

_If we have the chance, or the money. _ Starscream looked down at the datapad in his hand. In fifteen orns they had managed to pool all their credits together. Once Sideswipe took a hold of his cut, they'd be a few credits above broke once more. _Speaking of Sideswipe, where is he? _Starscream looked about, only seeing dock workers loading and unloading crates on ships and trucks. No one seemed to pay them much attention. _He had better not take that money and run, or so help me I will hunt him down and...oh good, there he is. Late…as always._

Sideswipe came up the walkway, flanked by a yellowish mech that seemed rather familiar to Starscream, but he couldn't quite place him within his memory. The two came up to them and nodded their greetings. "I'm sorry about the delay, Starscream, but Swindle wanted to personally meet you and ensure everything went smoothly."

"Swindle?" Starscream turned to the yellowish mech. He was built bulkily, but bore red optics and a snerky smile…and cheaper aftermarket parts. "Is that you?"

Swindle glanced at the other seekers, then at Starscream. He shrugged. "Last time I checked?"

_Of course! I don't remember what he looked like _before_ his detention! Ha! He really does look like a swindler, with that cheap paint job and two credit shine!_ Starscream smirked. "Well? Let's see it," he held up the datapad. Sideswipe reached for it, but he moved it out of reach. "Nuh uh! The items first. We've been waiting a while for this."

Swindle turned to a boat that was approaching, but still a ways away. "Our 'energy' will be here shortly," he stepped aside and leaned against the pile of crates.

"We didn't want energy," Skywarp frowned. Thundercracker elbowed him. "What? We've got enough of that!"

"Skywarp, sometimes I wonder if your creator forgot to install half your processor," Starscream muttered. Sideswipe gave an amused smile. "What?"

"For a bunch of greased up military bots, you four sure have grown on me. Somewhat. Even if I don't ever want to deal this sort of 'energy' for you again."

"Afraid you might get caught?"

"It's always a possibility. Security around here has cracked down, and not just because of the energy shortage in Vos and Kaon."

"What do you mean?"

"There was an attack on some docks in a city not far from here," Swindle replied. "They reported that the perpetrators were caught, but I doubt it. They destroyed the city's Guardian."

Starscream's smirk faded. "What…happened, exactly?"

"Dunno," Swindle shrugged. "All I know is that some jerks came down on them like fire and stole all the energon. I mean, if the government is going to impose a lock down and ration, you'd think they'd be prepared for some sorta backlash."

Starscream flinched and turned away, pacing to the other side of the dock. The others shrugged; Skyfire followed his friend. "Starscream? Is something wrong?"

"I think something bad is going to happen, Skyfire," Starscream's red optics met Skyfire's blue ones. "I think that…" He paused. He could hear something…something very distant. He looked up to the sky, spotting three floating figures. "Skyfire…we need to hide!"

Skyfire glanced at the figures, his lips parting to question Starscream, but he found himself being pulled – with as much strength as Starscream could muster against the larger jet – towards the pile of crates. "Everybody get down and don't say a word!" Starscream hissed, his voice excitedly high pitched. The others exchanged glances. "I said _get down! Do you want to be blasted to your dooms?!_"

The others crouched behind the crates as the figures soared by overhead and out of sight.

"What was that, Starscream?" Skywarp whispered.

"Megatron," Starscream hissed, pushing past the others so that he could peek from a crack between the crates.

"That's the guy Octane got the weapons from," Swindle hissed. "Isn't that what he said, Sides?"

"Yeah," Sideswipe frowned, his voice just a whisper. "What's going on, Starscream? Why are we hiding?"

"Megatron isn't the nicest mech around," Thundercracker said, trying desperately to bring his deep voice down a notch. He was being rather unsuccessful.

"Quiet you fools! Do you want Soundwave to hear us?" Starscream pointed beyond the crates. Two figures could be seen standing next to each other on the side of the dock, speaking, although their words were not clear. One was definitely Megatron, the other was a bot Starscream didn't know the name of. The mech looked to be young, just an adolescent. Starscream's optics narrowed as the two shook hands.

Silence enveloped the group, only to be broken by Skywarp. "Who's Soundwave?"

Starscream turned, pushing Skywarp to the ground. He motioned with his hand for them to remain quiet and turned back to the crack in the crates, but not before meeting Skyfire's surprised optics. He ignored it and returned to his spying. The figures were coming nearer to circle about the hangar. They disappeared behind it.

"C'mon," Starscream hissed, getting up but keeping a wary posture. "And be quiet about it!" The others followed him as he followed the pair to the side of the hangar. Beyond they could see rows of trucks lined up, as if waiting to receive energon.

"It's just a bunch of trucks, Starscream," Thundercracker said. Starscream waved him off and watched the two.

_Megatron. Just as I remembered him. His voice too. Primus, it is so grating, you can hear the deceit dripping from it…_

"I've been looking for a place to store my wares," the silver figure in the distance said to the shorter red one. "I was hoping this hangar might be available."

"Slag," Starscream backed off and began pushing the others back to the pile of crates. As soon as they were once again under the cover of the crates, he turned to the others. "We may be too late. Those trucks are Megatron's army, and Megatron is about to try and steal all the energon in the hangar."

"But that's the city's fuel supply for the next half a vorn," Swindle protested.

"Megatron doesn't care, you moron, he only cares for himself," Starscream turned so that he was facing the hangar. "Something bad is going to happen, but we mustn't interfere."

"Why not, Starscream?" Skyfire replied. "There are innocent workers in there, if Megatron is as harmful as you've told us."

"Because," Starscream scowled, his optics trained on the hangar. "As much as I would like to stop it, if we do, Megatron's beginning army will be complete. If we don't, he loses this battle, his first ever, and all his troops are destroyed." His optics flickered as he heard blasters go off. Faint yells of protest followed.

"Starscream! We cannot just sit here and do nothing!" Skyfire hissed.

Starscream scowled and ducked his head, his chassis shaking. _Oh, Megatron, you're so near. I want so badly to go face you right now, to destroy you where you stand! But I know my friends are nowhere near prepared as they need to be to face you and your army. I can hear the screams of the dockworkers…we all can. I can hear their bodies break and clatter to the ground as scrap._

_I can hear your laughter as a response._

Starscream gripped the crate before him. _I'll destroy you one day, Megatron, like how you destroyed me! I will strip you of your dignity and pride and display you for all to see, and then I will destroy you in all ways possible, just as you did to _me!

"Look, people are leaving!" Skywarp hissed, pointing. Starscream forced himself to look up as a group of figures fled the hangar, carrying injured with them.

"Aerialbots? But they aren't even created yet…" Starscream watched in confusion as they ran from the docks, carrying what looked to be the mech that Megatron had been speaking to earlier.

"Are they going to be alright?" Skyfire asked.

Starscream wracked his memory. _I was not here, or I wasn't supposed to be here. Megatron told me about it, how he'd destroyed the docks of Iacon's outlying cities. He didn't talk much about this incident, citing it as their first defeat. That is why he needed air support, because he was getting sacked on the ground. _"I'm not sure."

The trucks began to file into the hangar as guards positioned themselves outside.

"They're gonna steal all of it!" Swindle hissed. "We need to do something!"

"No! I told you, Megatron is defeated on his own! If we interfere, we might actually allow him to win, or worse!" Starscream scowled. "I'm not one for patience, but if it ever were a virtue, this would be the time!"

"Hey," Thundercracker hissed. "Where'd Sideswipe go?"

The five looked about. The tall red mech was gone. "He must've snuck away during the skirmish," Skyfire whispered.

"Or he went to go get your cargo," Swindle pointed to the ship that had come in while Megatron had been talking to the dock worker. The hatch to the cargo bay was open, and the ramp lowered.

"The fool is going to get himself killed," Starscream frowned. "Although, it is pretty brave, if not utterly stupid, of him."

"So what do we do now?" Skyfire asked.

"We sit and wait," Starscream sat back against the crate, scowling down at his hands curled in his lap.

_We aren't going anywhere._

_I want to stay here._

_I want to see Megatron's first defeat._


	17. Rival

Chapter Seventeen: Rival

Sideswipe turned on his headlights and shone them over the crates in the cargo hold of the ship. Most of the cargo comprised of open energon, with pallets here and there full of crates for more 'select' blends for higher paying private customers.

He knew that the shipment of smuggled weapons would be concealed like the pallets of energon. He hurriedly went to one such pallet and hefted the lid to one crate open, exposing bright energon inside. Cursing himself, he moved to another, being careful to remain quiet. Again energon.

Faint voices echoed through the cargo hold, causing him to crouch behind another pallet, cutting his lights. He dimmed his optics and watched the entrance to the cargo hold as two small figures made their way in, bickering amongst themselves.

"I don't see why we gotta be the ones to come in here," one said. Although they were both even in height, this one was red. He stopped to survey the load inside the ship. "This is gonna take ages!"

"Maybe we can just steal the _ship_," the other, a blue and gray colored mech, said. "I mean, it's only half full, and we can stick some of the other stuff in here, you know, in case we get caught or somethin'."

"We ain't gonna get caught!"

The ship suddenly shuddered and groaned as it clanged with the dock outside. Sideswipe clung to a crate for balance as the two tumbled to the floor. They exchanged confused glances and peered outside before scrambling to their feet and retreating into the ship more. "Guardians!"

"Megatron's in for it now," the red mech clasped onto a crate, one that Sideswipe had pried the lid off of, as the ship shook again, this time with the sound of blasters. The small red mech climbed the crate and hefted the lid. "Oooh, high grade. Someone's been sneakin' hooch right through Iacon!"

Sideswipe ducked and began working the lid off the crate before him. When no pink glow came from the gap produced by the loosened lid, he grinned to himself and reached inside. His hand met with something; he pulled it out to reveal a blaster rifle.

The lid slammed shut from his attempt to free the rifle.

"What was that?" The blue and gray mech asked. The two produced tiny pistols. "I don't think we're alone, Frenzy."

Sideswipe cursed inwardly and fumbled to power up the rifle, and cursed as it made an audible charging sound.

"They're armed!" The red mech hurried down through the energon and crates, pointing the pistol into each aisle as he passed. The blue mech was hot on his heels. Sideswipe saw their shadowed forms step into the aisle he crouched in. "Ah, we see you, stowaway!"

"Come on out and we might not hurt you…maybe!"

Sideswipe scowled and stood to his full height, allowing his optics to charge fully. The two didn't falter from his size; in fact they seemed rather indifferent. Sideswipe held up the rifle and put his finger on the trigger.

"I don't think so, chum," the blue mech stepped forward. "Drop it, or find yourself melted to scrap!"

Sideswipe turned on his headlights suddenly, the light blinding the two tiny mechs. The red mech pulled the trigger of the rifle, missing the two mechs completely but hitting the ship wall beyond. The shock of the blast sent the two to the floor. "Stinky little pipsqueaks."

The blue mech raised his head and fired, the blast hitting Sideswipe square in the shoulder. Sideswipe glared and fired several shots, getting the two to their feet as he advanced on them. They began backing through the rows of energon, making Sideswipe stop.

"C'mon, you overgrown red circuit board! Afraid of a little energon explosion?"

"I say we rush him, Rumble. You know what they say, the bigger they are…"

"The slower and dumber they are?"

Sideswipe scowled as the two began running at him, yelling at the top of their vocal processors. He turned the rifle in his hands and swung at them with the butt of the gun, sending the red one flying while the blue one slid under him, firing up at his leg. "Ow! That hurt!"

"Naw! Really?!" Rumble dodged as Sideswipe swung at him, but couldn't dodge as Sideswipe reached down and grabbed him up.

The red mech turned and chucked the small mech across the cargo hold where he slammed into the wall and slid down next to his unconscious brother. Sideswipe growled. "I hate small mechs!"

He pocketed the rifle and looked about. The shudders from the overbearing Guardians had slowed, but he could still hear a battle in the distance. Although he could get the pallet to the door, there was no way he could heft the whole shipment away from the docks himself.

…….

Starscream watched with rapt attention as the Guardians fought the Decepticons. While he admired the technology used to create them, he found their existence cumbersome and more of a liability than a blessing. _They consume too much energy, and are too stupid to know the difference. _

The red jet's radio crackled. "Starscream?"

Starscream cringed. "Sideswipe? What are you doing?!"

"I need you and big, tall and white to come over here, I have the shipment!"

"I meant, why are you opening a channel! _They can hear us_!"

"Oh…well…hurry then?"

Starscream killed the channel and turned to the others. "Thundercracker, Skywarp, transform and circle above. Stay out of the Guardian's attentions! Swindle, stay here and let me know if anyone comes this way! Skyfire, follow me!" He stood and ran from the crates to the edge of the dock, near the waiting ship, with Skyfire right behind him. The roar of jets sounded behind them, and soon the purple and blue jets were circling above.

Sideswipe stood at the bay doors, heaving a pallet with a pallet jack towards the ramp. Starscream turned to Skyfire. "Transform! We need to load this up and get out of here before we are noticed!"

Skyfire nodded and transformed just as Swindle came running up. "Starscream! Uh…someone's coming?"

"What's he look like?"

"Blue and white and…"

"Load the weapons! Sideswipe, provide cover if anyone comes near!" Starscream turned towards the crates to see the familiar blue and white figure advancing. Growling, Starscream ran forward and transformed, blowing right by the figure with a smattering of blaster fire. "You're mine, Soundwave!"

The blue and white mech raised his rifle to Starscream and fired; Starscream rolled, the blasts passing him by harmlessly. The red jet swirled up to join the others.

"Thundercracker, I want you to go in from the north with Skywarp from the south three nano-klicks after. Provide cover for Skyfire as they load and take off, after which I will take care of Soundwave!"

The three jets banked and broke formation, with Thundercracker swooping down towards the blue and white mech below. He had just enough time to spy two objects springing from the mech's chest, swooping under the blue jet's fire, before he pulled up. One of the objects sprouted wings and took off after him. "I got somethin' on my tail!"

"It's Laserbeak!" Starscream screeched in his audio sensors.

Skywarp swooped in after Soundwave, unloading a barrage of blasts, most of which impacted harmlessly on the ground, but two making contact. One blast collided into his knee, the other into his torso. "I hit him!" A blast hit him in the tail. "Something hit me!"

"Buzzsaw! Get out of there, Skywarp!"

"You told me to provide cover!" Skywarp yelled as another blast hit him.

"Do as I say or that little pest is going to eliminate you!" Starscream brought himself into a flip and aimed his nose directly at Soundwave. The blue mech had enough time to eject one more object before Starscream transformed and collided with him, sending them both skidding along the ground.

The red jet raised his arms to fire his blasters point blank into Soundwave's face; Soundwave grabbed his arms and struggled to stray his aim. The blue mech's impossible voice droned out at him. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"That is none of your business, _Soundwave_!" Starscream freed an arm and slammed his fist into Soundwave's face mask, causing a dent. He found himself kicked off; he tumbled and righted himself before firing upon Soundwave, who ducked for cover, blasting his rifle at Starscream as he went. "I don't think so! Megatron may consider you his right hand mech, but I'll have you turned to slag before you can prove your worth!"

……

"Hurry up!" Sideswipe hissed as Swindle more or less tossed the crates into Skyfire's bay. "Could you be any slower?"

"I don't see you helping!" Swindle scowled, holding up a crate.

Something growled behind him.

"What was that?" Sideswipe asked.

"I dunno…it sounded like an empty fuel pump."

"It wasn't me."

"Me neither."

The growl came again, this time with a bit of a roar.

Swindle turned about to see a black form stalking towards them, down the ramp. "What the pit is that?!"

Sideswipe turned and shot at the strange mech, his shots missing as the black, four legged form lithely dodged the shots. It roared and charged Sideswipe, leaping onto his face and biting down on his torso, his neck, his hands…anything as the red mech collapsed and tried to fend the creature off.

His rifle clattered to the dock as Swindle stood there, frozen in fear.

"Get the rifle…Swindle!"

Swindle looked at the rifle, then dropped the crate and ran for it. He held it up and aimed it at the squirming mess of red and black mech before him. "I can't get a clean shot at it!"

"I don't care! Just shoot!"

Swindle fired the weapon, stumbling back from the recoil. The shot went wide as he fell over the crate he had just abandoned.

"Swin…dle!" Sideswipe slammed his fist into the growling creature, but it only bit back harder.

A large blast caught the strange mechanoid, catapulting it from Sideswipe and casting it, yowling, into the liquid beyond the docks. Sideswipe looked up to see Skyfire's nose pointed towards him, one of his own blasters smoking from recent fire.

"Please hurry, Sideswipe," was all the jet could muster.

Sideswipe nodded and got to his feet. He helped up Swindle and the both of them hurriedly loaded the rest of the crates.

……..

Above, the two jets did their best to shake the two avian shaped mechs, but found that their adversaries were just about as agile as they were. "I got an idea, Skywarp?"

"Yeah? Ow! That little pest is tearing up my armor! I'm not gonna last much longer!"

"Head at me! When I say go, turn right!"

"I don't like that move, TC!"

"Just do it!"

"Aaaaaarrrrrgh!" Skyfire twisted his chassis about, aiming himself at the oncoming Thundercracker. "I hate you so much right now Thundercrackaaaarrrrrr!" The two forced themselves at each other, the avian mechs following right behind. The jets emitted yells as they twisted to the side, their bellies practically scraping on each other before pulling away at the last minute.

The two avian mechs saw each other too late; they tried to twist and bank at the same time much like the jets, but their wings clipped each other, and they were sent spiraling and trailing smoke to the ground.

……..

Starscream pushed against Soundwave, his arms straining, his optics burning into Soundwave's expressionless visor. "Why are you attacking us? You are also military mechs! You should be fighting on our side!"

"Yes, we _are_ military!" Starscream growled, pushing against the blue mech. "But we would never serve under your idiotic excuse for a leader!" Starscream's knees buckled; he ducked as his strength gave out, allowing Soundwave's momentum to send them both to the ground. Starscream stood before Soundwave could get his bearings and whirled to fire a single shot of the null ray into the blue mech. His thruster pinned the mech down needlessly.

He smirked.

Blaster shots followed, at point blank range. One, two…then three…

"Starscream! The weapons are loaded!" Sideswipe yelled from his radio. "We're ready, let's go!"

"No! I will finish him!" Starscream leaned closer, his blasters tapping Soundwave's mask. The null ray was already wearing off; Soundwave looked up at Starscream, his stare forever blank. "This is for every time you stood against me, Soundwave, for every time I beckoned you to follow me, but you refused because of _Megatron!_"

"Starscream! He's down! Leave him be!"

Skyfire. Starscream looked up as the three jets passed by overhead.

He growled and turned his sneer back to the fallen Decepticon. "If this doesn't deactivate you, I _will_ be back, and I _won't_ show you _mercy_!" He fired again, the blast scorching against the dented face mask, before firing his thrusters, even while one still rested against the blue mech's torso.

The red jet transformed and blasted off after his comrades, leaving a broken and leaking chassis in his wake.


	18. Intermission One

Intermission One: Prowl

The once beautiful shipping docks were now smoking piles of rubble framed by broken and blaster scorched buildings, with the main hanger having been blown nearly to pieces. Bits and pieces of mechs, both Decepticon and dock workers alike, were strewn here and there, like confetti, surrounding the dead chassis of the two Guardians.

The black and white mech stared down at the wreckage in dismay, his arms folded. "This was a needless slaughter," he muttered. "And no one was prepared for it."

Cycling a sigh, he unpocketed a datapad and began to record his findings as he walked along. He stared at a pile of broken crates, then at the ship that had come in before the battle had erupted. Its cargo bay door was open, the ramp lowered.

"While the Decepticons were trying to steal energon, someone else was trying to smuggle weapons," a deep voice behind the black and white mech said. "They used the distraction of the battle to get military grade weapons into Iacon."

The black and white turned to the mech behind him. "You were here? You saw it?"

"I saw them leave," the taller mech held up a damaged blaster rifle. "Only one pallet was removed, if you investigate the packing list. They knew what they were doing."

The shorter mech took the broken rifle and examined it, then turned to the ship. "The city's guardians were destroyed, as well as nearly all the energon," he turned to the tall mech. "Why is this happening?"

"I don't know, but I plan to find out. You should continue your investigation."

"For who? The city leaders have fled to the Crystal City. There's no one here to stop another attack if there is one," he paused. "Save you."

"Perhaps, but if Megatron returns, he will return with more troops. I had help this time; I will need it again."

The black and white took in the wreckage about them. His stoic face turned up to the larger mech.

"I would like to help, if you would so permit."


	19. Intermission Two

Intermission Two: Sunstreaker

_Investigation is still pending on the recent attacks on shipping docks throughout Iacon and the outlying cities. Although most sources report theft of energon, recently there has been deactivation mixed with what could have just been robbery. The identities of the perpetrators are still rather unknown, but the only certain fact is that they are definitely of military origin._

_In the most recent skirmish, witnesses have confirmed suspicions of weapon smuggling into Iacon._

Sunstreaker's scowl darkened.

He set down the datapad and looked about the shining office. The lights were dim, but the display lights on his paintings kept them bright and the colors defined.

"Whatever, Sides," he muttered, before disappearing into the elevator.


	20. Intermission Three

Intermission Three: Ratchet, Wheeljack, and Ironhide

Ironhide's hand hovered, holding a full energon cube, his mouth agape. The others stood near him, watching the monitor in Ratchet's reception room with the same rapt attention.

"You gotta be kidding me," the teal femme said from one of the couches.

The older red mech fairly slammed down the cube on the back of the couch they stood near and turned for the door, only to find himself restrained by his friends. "Let me go! I know people who work down there!"

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Ratchet replied, letting go when Ironhide stopped struggling. "If…if something happened, there's not much we can do. Now."

"Not much we can _do?_" Ironhide shot Ratchet a look of disbelief, then one to Wheeljack. "A bunch a' punks with guns thinks they can just run up inta Iacon and shoot people up, and you think there's _not much we can do_?" He glanced at them all and scowled. "I'm goin'. If any of ya wanna follow, that's fine with me. Chromia, you comin'?"

The blue femme stood and hurried over. "Yeah, to keep you from getting' yourself busted up," she muttered. She frowned at the others. "Ratch, you're a doctor. You should be on your way already."

Ratchet sighed and downed the rest of his energon. "Fine. Wheeljack?"

"I know some people who work down there too," the scientist turned back to the monitor. Shots of destroyed buildings and the ground littered with broken parts and charred blast residue were being cycled through. "Sorry guys, I gotta get to my shop and see if they're there or not."

The four left, with Ratchet exiting last. His optics took in the scene on the screen once more.

The door slid shut behind them.


	21. Wounded

Chapter Eighteen: Wounded

The door slid open to the workshop. Instantly its occupants tensed; Starscream aimed a blaster to the door, jostling Skywarp's leg in the process, which was sitting in his lap as he made repairs to it. Skyfire halted in his work in repairing Sideswipe's shoulder. Swindle held up the blaster rifle from earlier in the day as he sat on the pile of crates that nearly filled the room.

Wheeljack raised his hands slowly at the strange greeting. "Hey, guys."

Starscream scowled and lowered his arm, returning to work on Skywarp's leg. "You could have given us warning, Wheeljack. We could have blasted you to pieces just now!"

The scientist didn't seem fazed. "I take it you ran into trouble," Wheeljack stepped in and surveyed his friends. Sideswipe sported most of the damage, with claw and bite marks all over, plus a nasty blaster wound on his shoulder, and one on his inner thigh. Skywarp's legs were all shot up, although Starscream was making good with repairs. "It's all over the news, you know. What you did."

"What _we_ did?" Swindle looked at the others. "But…we got out of there pretty sneaky like."

"They say you shot up some dock workers, and blew up the whole city's energon supply…is that true?"

"No," Starscream spat. "Megatron was there. He is the one who murdered those dock workers and although I don't think he'd willingly blow up energon, he is partially responsible for that as well."

"Megatron?" Wheeljack turned to Skyfire. "You saw 'im?"

"Yes, I did," Skyfire said simply as he continued his repairs on Sideswipe. "We all did."

Wheeljack seemed at a loss for words. He looked about once again. "Wait…where's the other one? The blue one? He didn't get…you know…did he?"

"He's outside, keeping watch, or he is supposed to be," Starscream moved from one spot of Skywarp's leg to another. The purple jet flinched at the touch of Starscream's tools. "Stop fidgeting!"

"Who's this?" Wheeljack pointed to Swindle. He pointed to Sideswipe. "And who are you?"

"That's Swindle," Sideswipe said. "And I'm Sideswipe. We…we're…"

"Materials suppliers for Starscream," Swindle finished. He patted the crate under him and grinned.

"You know you can't go back," Sideswipe said to Swindle. "Military bot or not, I know they saw us. They'll be looking for us."

"They who?" Wheeljack asked.

"The Decepticons," Starscream replied. "I doubt Megatron personally saw us, but if Soundwave saw us, he might as well have. Besides, he has our voices recorded, if not surveillance footage." He stood back and let go of Skywarp's leg. "Just stay off it for the night."

Skywarp nodded and kept his seat next to Starscream on the worktable. He examined his leg, careful not to touch it to anything, and beamed. "You know, for someone who isn't a doctor, you do pretty good repairs!"

Starscream managed a wan smile. _Of course, you dolt. I've had to do everything but rebuild you from scratch in the past. If you were smarter, you'd probably keep yourself from getting into these situations. _"We will need to find another…base of operations soon enough. This is Wheeljack's workshop _and_ residence. We're only endangering him by being here."

Wheeljack shrugged. "To be honest, these past few orns have been rather…excitin'. I don't mind it too much."

"I agree with Starscream," Skyfire said, setting back from Sideswipe's shoulder. "You've shown us much generosity, but there comes a time when one overextends their invitation."

"Are you done?" Sideswipe asked.

"Yes, although I would go see your personal doctor after. We…don't have the best of materials here."

"Don't worry, he's used to me getting into fights and stuff," the red mech paused as Skyfire began work on his leg. "You don't have to, I mean, I could probably make it home on this."

"But how would you explain the blaster marks?"

"Good point," Sideswipe folded his arms. "You know, those two little twerps, Rumble and…and…"

"Frenzy?" Starscream suggested.

"How do you know these things?" Sideswipe asked. "I mean really…you weren't even _in_ the ship, and you know who they were? Who was that guy you were beating down?" Skyfire flinched. "Hey, ow!"

"Sorry."

Starscream eyed Skyfire. "His name is Soundwave. He's built to hear everything, and can manipulate sound to do nearly anything he wants. He can also read minds, to an extent. Those bots, Rumble, Frenzy, Buzzsaw, Laserbeak, and a few others share a symbiotic existence with him, and are extremely loyal to Soundwave, and to whoever Soundwave is loyal to."

"Megatron."

"Megatron lost most of his early army tonight, and will most likely be heading back to Kaon for fresh recruits. I doubt he will be able to construct anymore drones, however. These new recruits will be the new Decepticon army. We have little time if we want to stop him."

"So…you want to go to Kaon?" Swindle shook his head. "You're crazy."

"So I've been told."

Skyfire released Sideswipe's leg. "I've removed most of the blaster residue, as well as the metal that would identify it as a blaster wound. I haven't the materials to fix your more extensive damages. Your internal repair systems have fixed most of it, but like I said, I would see a real doctor soon."

"Right," Sideswipe hefted himself off the table, paying his wounded leg no mind. He turned to the others as Swindle stood. "If…any of you wanted to stay at my office, it's alright. Or even my place."

"What about Sunstreaker?" Starscream asked. "Wouldn't he mind?"

"We're…not exactly on speaking terms right now."

Starscream contemplated this. "Why?"

"Well, he didn't think…"

"No, I meant; why would you let us stay at your place? I thought you wanted nothing more to do with us."

"Well…I didn't, but then when I saw those Decepticreeps blow up the docks…we just can't sit here and do nothing. Besides, I'm already involved, and you people need all the help you can get," Sideswipe smirked. "I can be a royal pain, but I'm not about to let innocent people get destroyed over energon."

Starscream smirked. "Take Thundercracker with you."

"I'm goin'" Skywarp stood and hobbled shakily on one foot.

"Skywarp, I told you not to stand!"

"Hey, I go where TC goes."

Starscream gave a low, annoyed growl. "Fine, but I don't want to have to repair you again, at least not anytime soon!"

Starscream, Skyfire, and Wheeljack watched as the three left, with Skywarp holding onto Swindle and Sideswipe for support. Starscream frowned. "At least Thundercracker and Skywarp can detect other military signatures early on, to avoid confrontation. Besides…Sideswipe and Swindle can't aim for slag. I'll have to work on some programming for them."

Skyfire said nothing and took a seat at the bench. The red jet watched as he leaned his elbows on his knees and stared off into nothing.

"I'm going to work for a little while longer, Wheeljack," Starscream informed. "You should get your own rest."

"As long as you guys are alright," Wheeljack shrugged. "A few of my buddies headed down to the docks, said they had some friends there. I hope they're alright."

Starscream looked away, at the crates. "I'm sure they will be." _The beginnings of the Autobots, and the beginning of their noble leader…if it happened the way it once did. Who knows what our presence alone did to the time line today? Soundwave is worse for wear, that much is sure. At least I don't have to worry about him…at least, not tonight anyway._

"Look, you guys can stay as long as you like. If this is gonna be how things are gonna be, there's really no avoidin' it. I got people I can fall back on if somethin' were to happen."

"Yes, but we really shouldn't impose ourselves," Skyfire said. His optics turned to Starscream, who nodded in agreement. Skyfire frowned. "You were damaged."

Starscream looked down at himself, finding his chassis littered with dents and scrapes and blaster residue. A panel had been blown away, although the damage was mostly superficial. "It's not a big deal, Skyfire."

"I'll let you get on with repairs," Wheeljack said. "If you need anything, lemme know. I'm right upstairs."

"Thanks, Wheeljack," Skyfire said.

"Wheeljack, wait," Starscream went over. "If you see anything strange, anything at all, like a movement in the corner of your optics, or you get the funny feeling that someone is watching you, come get us."

"Will do," Wheeljack waved and left, his steps and manner more somber than usual. The door slid shut behind him, leaving the two alone.

Skyfire stood and went to his tools, then motioned for Starscream to sit. "Just let me repair you. Nominal damage now could lead to worse damage later."

Starscream managed a nod and sat on the work table. His optics strayed as he felt Skyfire begin repairs on him.

_If Soundwave lived, they will be on the look out for us. Megatron is weak right now. We should hit him hard!_

He glanced at Skyfire. The larger jet took no notice, kneeling on the floor so his optics would be better aligned with his work.

_Skyfire wouldn't stand for it._

_But it felt so _good_ to get Soundwave like that! He is an emotionless bore, and yet I could sense the fear and surprise in him!_

_It was exciting!_

_I want more!_


	22. Failure

Chapter Nineteen: Failure

If there was one thing the silver mech couldn't stand, it was _failure_.

He knew it was inevitable when leading an offensive against the established regime. Logic told him that it would be an uphill battle, but he had one thing on his side: the element of surprise.

Or so he had thought.

His crimson optics were focused on the broken and silent chassis before him. The metal of the mech's throat had been all but blown wide open, and his face was mangled. The unique vocal processors would need to be rebuilt.

He knew very little about rebuilding mechs himself, and found that now, without his army, and now without his second in command, he was faced with a dilemma.

He was back to square _one_.

The army was gone, his drones were gone. And now this…

"Megatron," a bulky purplish mech from the other side of the room spoke, breaking the silence. His single yellow optic flashed as he spoke, his single hand motioning to the wreckage of Soundwave. "Although I may be successful in repairing him so that he may function nominally, if we are to get him back to optimal functionality, we will need replacement parts. Whoever it was that attacked Soundwave, they knew how to attack him effectively."

Megatron's optics narrowed. His companion waited patiently as he continued his contemplation of the situation. "Have Rumble and Frenzy retrieved Buzzsaw, Lazerbeak, and Ravage?"

"Yes, they have, but all have suffered damages…and…if Soundwave is not repaired soon, all five may be forced into stasis."

Megatron unfolded his arms and turned his back on the room, facing the monitor of the main computer of their headquarters. His fist slammed into the controls. "Shockwave, I want to know who was responsible for this attack! Repair Laserbeak first. I will take care of finding replacement parts for Soundwave. I want Laserbeak's data analyzed by the time I return!"

"Yes, Megatron." Shockwave watched as his commander left their headquarters, fairly quaking with rage.

…..

When the silver mech had returned, he found his companion watching recorded footage at the monitor. He set down a crate of parts next to the table where Soundwave still lay. "They're second hand. Soundwave is just going to have to manage."

"The shipping…"

"Has increased security," Megatron faced the monitor and folded his arms. "They've brought in two new guardians as well."

Shockwave said nothing and turned to the monitor, knowing better than to ask Megatron once he took that stance. He began playback of the recording, seen through Laserbeak's optics. "I do not think that those who attacked Soundwave were aiming to attack us, but were making use of our presence as a diversion while they stole from the shipment that was due to arrive that morning," Shockwave pointed as Laserbeak's vision soared and the back end of a blue tetrajet came into view.

"A _military_ bot?!" Megatron seethed. "Do you recognize him?"

"No, Megatron. It is possible that these mechs do not come from Kaon."

The two grew silent as they watched the tetrajet being chased by Laserbeak, twisting and turning to avoid the avian mech's assault. "They're good," Megatron muttered.

A voice came through the recording. _"I got an idea, Skywarp!"_

"That is the voice of the blue tetrajet," Shockwave said. "You will soon see a second, whom I believe is 'Skywarp'. This one, I believe, is designated 'Thundercracker'."

"_Yeah? Ow! That little pest is tearing up my armor! I'm not gonna last much longer!"_

"_Head at me! When I say go, turn right!"_

"_I don't like that move, TC!"_

"_Just do it!"_

Megatron watched as a purple tetrajet briefly came into view beyond the blue before the blue twisted, the purple sliding along its belly, with the smallest allowable distance passing between the two. The two jets moved apart with lightning fast moves and were replaced by Buzzsaw.

The footage skipped, and the demolished dock surface came close into vision. Static ensued, and then Laserbeak was staring up.

Soundwave's head and shoulders came into view and disappeared. A struggle between the blue mech and someone else could be heard.

"_Why are you attacking us? You are also military mechs! You should be fighting on our side!"_

"_Yes, we __are__ military! But we would never serve under your idiotic excuse for a leader!"_

Megatron tried to hide his surprise, but it was quite evident. "What did he just say?!"

The viewpoint of the camera shifted, apparently as Laserbeak was attempting to salvage himself. The sound became warped, and the words spoken between the two struggling mechs became skewed. "What are they saying?"

"…_but you refused…skkkkttttt…of __Megatron!...skkkkktttsshh…will__ be back, and I __won't__ show you __mercy__!"_

A red, white, and blue mech came into view, although briefly, after a series of blaster sounds. The mech's gray face was but a blur as he transformed into a tetrajet and took off.

"That is unfortunately where any credible footage ends," Shockwave said. Megatron went to the monitor and forced the play to backtrack, and froze on the blurred image of the red jet's chassis. "Whoever that is, they know Soundwave, and they know who you are. Ravage, Frenzy, and Rumble have agreed that they were after smuggled military weapons."

"They are trying to organize their own movement against the Prime's regime," Megatron thought out loud. "They must come from Vos, the only other military based state I can think of. But why would they attack us?" The silver mech turned his optics to the unconscious Soundwave. "Repair him. I want to know what happened by his account. I have a slight suspicion that someone is trying to take _us_ by surprise."

"Yes, Megatron," Shockwave turned to Soundwave and began sorting parts as Megatron looked on.

……

When the blue mech was brought online, he instantly knew that he had been defeated. His visor optics stared at the ceiling of the Decepticon headquarters, and he could feel fresh repairs in his throat and on his face. Blue fingers traced the seams of the repairs, up his throat to his exposed face.

The faceplate eased into place, concealing his face once more. He sat up and saw he wasn't alone.

Megatron waited, leaning back against the main computer, his arms folded.

"I was defeated," Soundwave said simply. His voice crackled. "These parts are inferior to my model specifications."

"Deal with it," Megatron spat. "We lost the entire army, and all the energon we needed to obtain. To top it off, now we have this new enemy," Megatron's optics narrowed. "One that knew your name, and mine, and knew just how to hit us. I can't help but wonder…who is it that is giving this new enemy our names? How does this new enemy know how to fight us?"

Megatron leaned forward. "Any ideas, Soundwave?"

"Negative."

The silver mech scowled. "I don't believe you. I saw Laserbeak's surveillance…he _knew_ you, Soundwave! Whoever this mech is, he sounds like he's known you for a long time. He knew how to _fight_ you!"

"Negative, Megatron. This mech is not known to me."

Megatron frowned. "Soundwave, I need to know what happened. I will not accept any lies; I have no tolerance for _betrayal_!"

"Transmission intercepted between two unknown mechs, one of civilian class, designation 'Sideswipe' and one military class, designation 'Starscream'. Transmission occurred during battle with the guardians. Sideswipe and a mech of Kaon military origin designated 'Swindle' were stealing cargo and loading it into a military jet designation 'Skyfire'. Information intercepted from open and unguarded communication links."

"Either they're really stupid, or really smart," Megatron turned to the computer and brought up a still frame, showing the red mech, his image blurred. "Who is this?"

"That is military tetrajet designation 'Starscream'."

"He's the one who attacked you?"

"Affirmative."

"And you've never seen him before?"

"Negative," Soundwave paused. "He appears to be their leader."

Megatron scowled. "It appears we have a traitor in our midst. Learn everything that you can about Swindle, and what he's doing with military bots from Vos. We need any and all data regarding these names," he turned to the computer and began inputing names. "Sideswipe, Swindle, Skyfire, Skywarp, Thundercracker…" His scowl deepened as he input the last name.

"_Starscream._"

"As you command, Megatron."


	23. Question

Chapter Twenty: Question

_It is possible that Soundwave knows who we are, or at least, some of our names. It's guaranteed that Lazerbeak has recorded us. They will know we come from Vos just by our model design, and they know we're close to the docks, either in Iacon or a neighboring city. It will be necessary for us to bring a halt to Megatron's plans before he uses his silly contraption, the 'Robo-smasher', or whatever it was called. Really…how pathetic of a name, and how desperate that he would resort to something like that to recruit others. At least _I_ didn't need reprogramming, but if he had known better he would have done it anyway…_

_I wonder who built that thing. Whenever Megatron got the urge to 'create' something, it was always ostentatious and guaranteed to fail, so if he built it, I wouldn't be surprised. _

"The repairs Ratchet performed seem to have withstood the…skirmish," Skyfire said, breaking the silence. Starscream, broken from his thoughts, looked down at the work Skyfire had done. The taller jet stood abruptly and moved to the other side of the workshop, retrieving a rag to clean his hands.

_He's upset because of what I did to Soundwave, I just know it. _"You're upset…because of what happened."

Skyfire looked at his hands. "You were going to kill that mech, weren't you?"

Starscream didn't miss a beat. "Yes."

"Why?" The white jet turned, meeting his optics.

"I told you, Skyfire. He…well, he is _now_, Megatron's right hand mech. Him and his little lethal brood of casseticons don't care for anything but Megatron's approval," he paused. "If Megatron told Soundwave to kill someone, he'd do it. If Megatron told him to take a person apart, piece by piece, until they overloaded with…"

"Stop, Starscream," Skyfire cringed uncomfortably. "How is it any different, that you were going to kill him when you already had him beaten?"

Starscream contemplated it. "And allow him to come after us? He didn't care who we were, all he knew was that we could possibly be in their way. I know I didn't kill him. Soundwave is stronger than that." He turned to Skyfire, who was staring at his hands still. "That's not all that is upsetting you, is it?"

Skyfire shook his head. "I…think I killed someone."

Starscream tried not to let his shock be apparent. "W…what? What do you mean? What happened?"

"Some…thing attacked Sideswipe. It was small, and black…"

"Four legs?"

Skyfire looked up. "Yes, how…" He caught himself. "Nevermind. I shot it, and it fell off the dock. I didn't see it get back up."

Starscream contemplated this. "That was Ravage. You didn't kill him."

"I didn't? I shot it…him…and I saw him fall."

"Trust me, Ravage is small, but he isn't stupid, and he isn't cheaply built," Starscream frowned. "You did what you had to do to protect your friends, Skyfire…why are you ashamed of that?"

"I am not ashamed. I am just…disappointed," he cycled a sigh. "Why must there be violence? This is never what I wanted my life to be. You speak of protection…but why? What are _you_ protecting, Starscream? When you were on that mech I didn't see any need to protect yourself, or anyone else. You wanted _revenge_. Revenge for something that hasn't and might not ever happen."

Starscream scowled as he remembered the incident, and anger churned inside him as Skyfire questioned him. He opened his mouth, prepared to defend himself, but the words were halted in his vocals by Skyfire's honest optics.

The red jet let the words die in mechanical nothingness. "It's amazing how you see right through me. I want revenge on him, and Megatron…yes, like you said, for something that might not ever happen but…it was…feels real to me, Skyfire. If there was an easy way to take them out or prevent this war from happening, I'd have done it, _trust me_. I hate waiting. I hate plans. I hate knowing that no matter what I do, you'll still see it as barbaric, even though all I am trying to do it make it so where nothing bad ever befalls you…

Starscream set his expression adamantly, his mouth a thin line. "I'd like to think I'm doing this to protect _you_, Skyfire. I can't keep you from seeing violence or knowing it's there, but I'd be damned if you have to sit at the front lines of a war you don't want to fight, or…worse." He scowled at himself and turned his optics to the table he sat on.

Skyfire straightened. The red jet sat there, scowling at no one, his hands gripping the table under him as if he were going to break it at any moment. He hefted himself off the table and moved to the monitor, bringing up his timeline. "We need to go to Kaon, and soon. Megatron will be using his contraption; I don't even want to tell you what he calls it, to turn innocent mechs into his drones and soldiers. Hopefully we can get there before he even has it built." He found a stylus and began scribbling.

"You told me that you didn't want to become like you were in these visions," Skyfire sat down on the bench and contemplated his next words. "I guess what I'm getting at, Starscream, is what makes you so different from Megatron?" His icy blue optics met Starscream's. "For every bad thing you said he did, and even for the one thing we saw him do, from what you've told me and from what I saw, you've matched it. Or you will."

"Megatron needs to be _stopped_," Starscream narrowed his optics at the monitor but didn't stop his work.

"This is a vendetta, not some personal quest, Starscream," Skyfire's optics brightened as he motioned to the monitor. "You've told me a lot concerning this…other lifetime. I am beginning to see very little distinction between the Starscream of that timeline, and the one I see before me."

"You don't _trust_ me."

"I need to know if…I'd be better off on my own, if following you around is no better than following Megatron."

"You _wouldn't_ be better off on your own," Starscream fairly threw the stylus down and faced the white jet. "If you did you'd find yourself in stasis or deactivated or worse, brainwashed into being someone's slave!"

"Is that better than following someone bent on revenge and murder?"

"In your mind, yes," Starscream glowered. "In my mind, no." He leaned against the monitor, his arms folded. "Despite who or what I am, or what I have seen or anything…if you want me to drop this, Skyfire, I'll do it."

"No you won't. You're convinced that you need to do this, and not for the reasons you keep telling everyone."

"Please, Skyfire, give me _some_ credit. Sure, I'd probably go off and try to destroy Megatron and fail miserably. I've seen it enough to know that is what will happen if I do things on my own. But I won't ever follow Megatron. At least I know _you_ wouldn't steer me wrong."

"What are you trying to say?"

"If you left," Starscream fidgeted, his optics moving to nowhere. "I'd probably follow you. Or…die trying." He kicked at the ground and pretended to become interested in the chipped paint on his hands. "In these visions, you weren't there. You already left me once before because I screwed up. I wouldn't let that happen again."

"Is that why you tried to kill yourself? Because I left?"

"What do you think?"

"It doesn't matter what _I_ think, Starscream…"

"Yes it does. It _does_ matter, Skyfire! It would be so easy for me to turn away and become everything you _think_ I am, but you're _here_!" He scowled and stepped forward, breaking his stance. "You don't want to fight? You don't want to see _this_?" Starscream motioned to the fresh repairs on his chassis and to the crates standing behind him. "Then let's go _now!_ Let's forget about this all, forget about everything I've said, if that is what you want to do!"

"You said we'd die. Or worse. And I know you won't easily forget."

Starscream lost it, his hands flailing as he screeched. "You don't get it!"

The white jet sat unmoving as Starscream seethed, even as the jet turned to the door. He waited until the door slid open.

"Do you love me, Starscream?"

Starscream turned, his anger mixed with confusion. He let this question process, despite the abruptness of its asking. "Where did that come from?" He scowled. "And why do you care, if you're leaving anyway?"

"I didn't say I was leaving."

"You sure did insinuate it!"

Skyfire sat back, crossing his arms. Something of a smug smirk seemed to pass over his faceplates, although it could have been a trick of the dim light. "So you say you'd leave if I left."

Starscream gave a single nod.

Skyfire stood. "Then let's go."

"Now?" _Is he for real?_

The white jet smiled an affirmation.

Starscream stepped out the door and waited as Skyfire walked past him, transformed, and took off.

The red jet watched his white jet form soar over the city at a rather slow speed, but still gaining distance. The larger jet didn't turn to circle back.

Starscream turned to the doors of the workshop, which had slid shut by then.

_This is the chance I have to destroy Megatron…my only true chance, the best chance I have ever had and most likely ever will have. I cannot give it up! Not for Skyfire! He has abandoned me already, once before for the Autobots, and once this time around! He said we'd go to Kaon, he'd said he'd go with me if I went!_

His optics turned to the white blip in the night sky that was growing smaller and smaller.

_Either choice, I am made a liar. If I leave, the promise, the _vow_ I made to myself is forgotten. But the promise I made to Skyfire effects much more than just myself._

"Grrraaaar!" He clenched his fists, one foot stepping forward.

_Goodbye, Wheeljack. I hope our antics have not warranted you any unwanted attention._

The red jet leapt forward, transformed, and then literally screamed across the sky in pursuit of his friend.


	24. Explosion

Chapter Twenty Four: Explosion

_This isn't right. I want to leave, because then…it's so stupid! I was never meant to have this choice, any of these choices! Why should I care what happens to the others? They're filthy Autobots anyway! But I know Megatron. I know he'll retaliate. But why am I not saying anything?_

Starscream pinpointed Skyfire on his sensors, soaring just before him and to his left, keeping them at a rather leisurely pace. He hadn't noticed when they'd slowed down. Skyfire tipped his wings, as if shrugging.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Let's go." Starscream pushed forward, pulling his smaller frame in front of the white jet. _And why did I follow Skyfire? He's done nothing but trouble me since the moment I got here! Me? Try to kill myself? Ha! Not even on a bad day before. I don't care if I was starving and delusional. What has_he _done to deserve what I've done for him so far? I should have just let him go, like last time. He'll always leave. It's what he _does!

Skyfire pulled forward to match his pace and to resume his position in the lead.

Irked, Starscream pulled forward once more, only to find the white jet once again pulling forward. "At some point, you won't be able to do that, so just stop it already. I _am_ faster."

"I can be fast when I want to be." If his face were visible, Starscream was sure he'd see a small pout.

Irritated, the smaller jet pulled forward once more, but steadily increased his speed, forcing Skyfire to give chase. Buildings whirled by; Starscream dipped down, hoping that the increased speed and the proximity of the buildings would cause Skyfire to hang back, but the white jet kept pace.

"See?"

"I'm not even at full speed, Skyfire."

"Building."

"What?"

"Building!"

The two parted to allow the large building to pass between them, and then swooped back, crossing paths with mere breaths of air between them. Starscream couldn't help it, he laughed, rolling, as they pressed on faster.

The white jet rolled a lazy arc over him, coming under him upside down. "What are you doing?"

Skyfire said nothing, but kept pace with Starscream for a bit before tipping his wings, forcing Starscream to twist with him. They twirled about an invisible spindle between them before they parted. Skyfire hung back as Starscream continued until he realized his friend was not there.

The smaller jet circled back, his exhilaration melting back to irritation when he saw Skyfire standing on the tallest spire of whatever city they were over now…which, according to his navigational systems, was in the southern part of the state of Iacon. Starscream pulled up and transformed, but only to reward Skyfire's silent face with a scowl and folded arms.

"What?"

"Let's_go_, Skyfire." _We're still in Iacon. Let's get out of this state…let's leave the planet. Make me forget. As long as I know it's here…!_

Skyfire gave a small smile and shook his head softly. One hand reached out to him.

Starscream didn't bite, his optics burning, showing that he was bordering on anger.

The white jet just waited as Starscream fell into bristling, and then calmed, as he knew he would. A sigh cycled through the smaller jet. "We're not leaving…are we?"

"No. It wouldn't be fair to the others. As much as I dislike it, we now have a responsibility that we cannot just…"

"You_tricked_ me?" Starscream interrupted, the shock clear on his face. Skyfire hesitated in his words at the word 'trick'; Starscream couldn't decide whether to be angry or confused.

Floundering for an explanation, Skyfire gave a small shrug, retracting his hand slightly. "I wanted to see if you'd really follow me."

Starscream scowled. "You didn't think I'd follow you? I told you I would…!"

"It's not that I didn't think you would. The probability of…"

The red jet growled in frustration at his friend. "What I say or do has nothing to do with science! Trust me! I've seen situations where thinking like a scientist gets you nowhere! This is one of those situations! Why can you not just trust me on what I say? Do you think I was lying?"

Skyfire frowned slightly. "No…I guess I didn't think you were lying."

"Then you knew I'd follow you!"

"No, I'm not saying that."

"Then what are you saying?"

Skyfire fidgeted slightly, his hand retracting to hug his own torso absently. Starscream recognized discomfort in the white jet's optics. "I don't know."

The red jet moved his legs, getting tired of just hovering. "Well…what would you have done if I hadn't? Would you have come back?"

"I wouldn't have needed to. I just…_needed_ to see if you'd follow me," Skyfire slumped in disappointment in himself. "I'm sorry, Starscream. It was…selfish of me to expect you to just…give up all your hopes and friends, just for me but…I wanted to see if you'd do it." He turned away from Starscream's angry gaze. "I'm sorry."

_It will never be enough!_ Starscream scrutinized the white jet, trying to make sense of it all. He wanted to be, and was, angry, but he couldn't just respond with threats or the firing of a weapon. In a way, he didn't know how to respond. "Skyfire…what do you want from me?"

Skyfire opened his mouth only to shut it again. He frowned at himself but still avoided Starscream's gaze. "Well, you could answer my question."

"What question?"

Skyfire looked up, a bit surprised that Starscream had forgotten already. Then again, the smaller jet could have his processor set on one thing when he was so inclined. It was as if the seeker were waiting for him to betray him, and the white jet remembered his words about this other world, this other time, where everything seemed so real but wasn't.

Where they were enemies.

Was Starscream just afraid to lose his only constant in either world, or was this genuine emotion? The smaller jet was notoriously self-centered, it wouldn't be hard to envision the former…

"_Oh_," Starscream said, bringing Skyfire's thoughts back to the present. The smaller jet floundered, trying to think of an answer, and what came out seemed to disappoint Skyfire. "I don't know." Starscream took one look at Skyfire and added. "I mean…I've never been in…that situation…before. I wouldn't know…what it was like."

Skyfire gave a faltering smile. "Not even in that…other time? No one loved you then?"

Starscream felt his spark sink a bit as he filtered through the memories of his past life. He had had his share of mechs who would keep his berth warm for a cycle or two, most thinking that interfacing with him would gain them a higher position in the Decepticon ranks. Most that came after him were turned away, especially the femmes. He could see through them from miles away, as their kind inherently wanted mates that lasted the rest of their existences, and he was hardly one to portray that need at all. He had only indulged in mindless interfacing when he truly needed to, but he felt nothing for any of those, and scarcely remembered any of their names.

Save for one. _Thundercracker. When I was appointed Air Commander, he did his best to stay under my good graces. He wasn't bad, but I suppose when he learned it was going to gain him nothing, he stopped. Like now, I don't think he knows what he wants or even who he truly is. He is still very much a military automaton, his own doubts surfacing as confusion in that aft-idled CPU of his…_

"I guess that means no."

Starscream turned his optics to Skyfire. "There has never been anyone." He paused as Skyfire nodded to himself. "What about you?"

Skyfire's frame froze.

"Skyfire? You can tell me, I…won't be offended?" It came out as a question because Starscream knew that he would be. The thought of Skyfire with anyone else suddenly stoked a jealous fire within him, and his optics flashed. _Was he…or she…calmer? More patient? Better than me? Certainly not if he is not with them now…or perhaps he is bonded already!_

Skyfire watched as Starscream's fists clenched unknowingly. "Starscream…there wasn't…I mean there is," he hesitated, his optics roaming as he tried to find a way to say what he wanted to say. "Sometimes you scare the slag out of me, Starscream. The things you say and do…go against everything I ever saw happening in my life, and I don't know if I can…handle it, but…" Starscream waited, hovering before his friend. "What I _mean_ to say, I guess, is that…Primus, Starscream, I felt happy for those two orns that we were together."

Starscream felt himself smirk. "Really?" The smaller jet suddenly realized that Skyfire was answering his own question, but for Starscream.

"Yes…and I'm glad I said that, it's not like I really had a chance to since th…" Skyfire was cut off, his words dying in mechanical tones as Starscream flew to him and pushed his lips to the larger jet's. He found his helm clasped by poised blue fingers, and his optics only saw the smaller, offline optics of the red jet. Starscream ended the kiss only to kiss him again on a different part of his lips, which were so much larger…but Starscream didn't seem to mind…

No, he didn't mind at all. He was relieved, scared that his lack of answer for Skyfire would have hurt his chances. _Yes, I was happy then too, I am glad you were happy…I want to be happy again…_

"Nnn…Starscream…" Skyfire whispered his name against his cheek, his stronger arms supporting the smaller jet so that he could relieve his thrusters. Starscream clung to him, greedily kissing Skyfire's faceplates, his fingers traveling to Skyfire's neck…Skyfire shuddered. "Starscream, please, listen to me…"

"I'm listening," Starscream said absently, flicking his metallic tongue against a seam on Skyfire's neck, as the white jet's chassis was too bulky for him to kiss along his neck. Skyfire's vents cycled a bit furiously.

"Please…Starscream," Skyfire wanted to pause, to ask Starscream again, but when he held Starscream back so to cease the teasing little kisses, he found Starscream pouting in want. He could feel the rise in heat of Starscream's systems. He knew, instantly, that he could never successfully put Starscream on the spot and ask for such a thing as a personal emotion. He'd avoid the answer, or get angry, or pretend he didn't hear…

He would never be on his own terms when it came to Starscream. It would always be what Starscream wanted, the spoiled little brat.

Starscream's hands rested against his arms, the thumbs rubbing along his arm almost in comfort. "I don't know if I do love you, Skyfire, but…I do want you," he added the last part with a flicker of mischievousness, his signature smirk returning. His hands traveled with digging fingers up the white jet's arms. "And no one else."

Skyfire swore he could feel his fuel pump still for a split second as a wave of heat stirred through his larger chassis as his systems reacted to the mechanical memory of being in the berth with Starscream, and all that had transpired there…

Starscream gave an impatient kick of his leg, although it hit nothing, dangling to Skyfire's side.

"I'm not doing this on someone's rooftop," came Skyfire's hurried response. He let the smaller jet go. "Let's just…get back first."

Starscream pouted as he once again hovered before Skyfire. He contemplated his options, giving the area about them a serious consideration before deciding that it wouldn't be conducive to either of them to overload and reset on a precarious rooftop, or even in midair over a city…even though the thought of it caused him to fight off a shiver of his own. "Fine, let's get back," he transformed. "And do keep up."

……….

"You should have seen him when he hit the ground!" Skywarp said as the elevator released him, Thundercracker, Sideswipe, and Swindle into Sideswipe's darkened office. The lights turned on automatically. Skywarp turned to the two and made a dopey expression. "Duhhhhhrrrrrrdrrrrr!"

Swindle grinned while Sideswipe gave a small laugh. "So I don't get it, if he's such a loser to you guys, why do you do everything he says?"

"He knows too many things," Thundercracker said, a tad solemnly. "Things people shouldn't know. We've all seen this. Either he knows our names without having met us before, or he knows things about us that we've never told anyone."

"Yeah, and that whole Megatron takes over the future thing," Skywarp added.

"Huh," Sideswipe grunted, sitting on one of the couches. He produced four cubes of high grade and passed them out. "Enjoy it while you can, before it goes extinct."

"What about Skyfire?" Swindle asked as he sipped his own energon. "He doesn't seem like one to believe in mind reading and future telling."

"They're in, you know," Skywarp motioned with his hands, mashing them together. He gave a funny noise, akin to an impassioned moan, which caused them all to choke on laughter.

Thundercracker let his laughter die first and downed his cube. "Skyfire's a bore."

The three looked up, then exchanged glances.

"I'm going up to keep watch," Thundercracker announced, heading to the elevator.

As soon as he was gone, Sideswipe turned to Skywarp, who was hiding his own sour expression as he downed his own cube. "What's with him?"

"Thundercracker likes power," Skywarp said simply.

Sideswipe looked at Swindle, who only shrugged and waved his empty cube.

……

Thundercracker scowled down at the city as he perched on top of the merchant's building. At first, he had been attracted to Starscream because he was smarter. Unlike himself and Skywarp, he was beyond his model design. He exceeded his designed purpose. He was his own mind, his own mech.

He only teased him to mask this from Skywarp. He also hoped it would elicit a reaction from Starscream, but the reaction he got was not the one he had intended. He had been threatened, and now he followed him, not that he was unhappy about that, but…

Skyfire.

Skyfire was also different from his model specifications. Most shuttles were dull and quiet, which he thought Skyfire was, but they weren't thinkers. They weren't scientists. Both Starscream and Skyfire were the oddballs at the military academy. It only made sense that they became partners, and after that…

_It isn't fair_, Thundercracker moped to himself. He crouched on the corner ledge, sweeping his optics over the cityscape. _Starscream wastes his time with that bore, who has no mind for battle. It is obvious that Starscream has the mind for battle, the mind to conquer and rule, and he is held back by Skyfire. _

He wanted to see Starscream in the position of power. He wanted Starscream as his superior, and to finally work for someone who deserved to give him orders. Thundercracker was tired of drills. He was tired of routine. He wanted substance in the words that told him what to do.

If he had to fulfill his existence doing what others told him to do, which was part of his basic programming, he wanted it to come from someone worthy.

………

The two figures snuck across the rooftop of the building adjacent to the merchant building, carrying something large between them. They set down with hushed voices and began assembling the machine they had brought.

Soon a missile launcher perched just barely out of the shadows on the ledge as one of the figures aimed it to the merchant's building, to the 31st floor.

"This is gonna be great!" One muttered.

"Shut up."

"Isn't it gonna be great? This is going to be the _biggest_ explosion _ever_!"

"Shut_up!_" One of the figures pushed the other. The other landed back on the metal building, producing a sharp _CLANG_!

…….

Thundercracker looked up at the sound as it echoed through the silent night. His optics focused and searched for something, anything…

He spotted the tip of the missile launcher as it was adjusted once more.

The blue jet leapt and transformed, the sound of his thrusters firing rattling windows across Iacon proper.

……..

Swindle leapt at the sound as the windows rattled. He looked down at the energon that had spilled down his chassis from his startle and scowled, especially as the sound continued. "What in the Pit is_that_?"

Skywarp leapt up and grabbed both their arms. "Thundercracker! We gotta get outta here!" He pulled them to the elevator and shoved them inside. "Make it go to the roof!"

Sideswipe pushed a few buttons as the door began sliding shut. "_That_ was Thundercracker?"

"Heh…you didn't think he had that name for nothing, did…"

………

The figure spotted the jet coming towards them and fired the missile launcher. The missle soared into the windows of the 31st floor and detonated, spilling billowing clouds of flame and debris out every side, brightening the dark city and waking it with its rumble.


	25. Consequences

Chapter Twenty Five: Consequence

He knew when he saw the billowing flames reaching for the sky that it was Sideswipe's building.

He didn't need to be told, or even see the building clearly. The flames were a tiny bright speck in the distance that quickly grew larger and died into black smoke that melded into the dark night sky.

The Decepticons were retaliating.

"Star…Starscream…" Skyfire hissed.

"Go to the building and see if they're alive," Starscream ordered, his voice devoid of any emotion save anger. _If I let him sit and mull on it he won't do a thing. Sometimes I wonder how he became a military jet. He had his chance to turn away and yet… _"I will find who did this."

Skyfire said nothing and did as he was told, pulling forward and circling the burning building below him. It was severed near in half, its reflective surfaces divided by a fiery belt at its midsection. A jet passed under him.

"Thundercracker!"

"They were still inside! Is…is Starscream here?"

His query was rewarded by Starscream flying by, tipping his wings, asking for Thundercracker to join him. Without a word the blue jet changed course and followed the red, leaving Skyfire to himself.

The large white jet circled the building, then dropped and transformed, bringing himself level with the 31st floor. Parts of the interior were still very much on fire, and his optics instantly calculated the structural damage.

Whatever had hit it had managed to not just take out the entire 31st floor, but many of the floors above and below it, and very little remained of the individual stories to make them discernable.

He dove inside.

……..

"Sideswipe?"

A groan.

"Sideswipe!"

A stumble, and the sound of falling debris skittering against the fire scorched elevator shaft to the ground far below.

The tall red mech's optics came online, giving him a broken and staticy view of the dark metal chasm below, lightened only by burning debris at the bottom, and fire licking out the opening for the 31st floor.

He realized that he had a rather unobstructed view, and looked up to see his right arm crushed between the wreck of the floor of the elevator lift, and the broken walls of the elevator shaft. It had broken up and away from the explosion, burying itself into the elevator shaft, although most of its weight still remained precariously balanced across the shaft itself.

The rest of Sideswipe's chassis hung rather freely under it all.

"Slag."

"Sideswipe!" The word echoed down the elevator shaft. Sideswipe looked up past the wrecked car to see Skywarp peering down, his optics barely visible in the darkness. The whole shambled mess creaked when the seeker moved.

"Damn it, Skywarp, get off of it, or else it's going to come down and take me with it!" He scowled and tried to move his captured hand. It was completely immobile, and he could neither make his arm work nor feel it. The machinery was dead, but he was still connected by his framework, with most of the other systems about it severed, including the fuel line, which was luckily pinched shut from the clamp the wreckage had on him. "Either this is really lucky, or really bad."

"Can you try to swing yourself up or something?"

"No, I'm stuck." Sideswipe yanked on his arm, but it didn't budge. A few wires sparked in protest. "I need to cut off my arm."

"What?!"

"I gotta cut off my arm! It's stuck, and besides, it's dead anyway."

Skywarp sat back, a disgusted grimace on his faceplates. The wreckage moaned and dropped a few inches.

"Slaggit, Skywarp, I told you to get off it!"

"We're both up here," Swindle suddenly piped.

"Remind me to beat the slag out of both of you later," Sideswipe scowled and produced the rifle he had had earlier, and aimed it at his elbow, below where his hand was caught.

"Don't do that! You'll fall!"

"You'll both fall if I don't. Besides…I'm tough…maybe I can handle it."

"Thirty stories?!"

Sideswipe contemplated this and scowled. "We shoulda stole a jet pack." He aimed the rifle again and fired. His elbow joint disintegrated from the shot, and he dangled for a minute from a very intact and suddenly awake sensor wire before it snapped.

He fell with a yell, more from the sudden pain than anything, only to find himself grabbed by a large white hand digging into his shoulder plating and curling under the sensor wires underneath. He yelled again as warnings flashed in his vision as his left side threatened to go offline, and was pulled through the fiery exit of the 31st floor.

"What the…Skyfire?" Sideswipe looked up at the jet as he favored his shoulder.

"Where are the others?" Skyfire poked his head back through the elevator and looked up. "Skywarp? Swindle?"

His only reward was the sound of thrusters firing and the groan of the elevator cart. He pulled back in as the smoldering wreck went rushing by to crash far below. A cloud of smoke and dust billowed in, stoking the flames about them. "Let's get out of here," he transformed and allowed Sideswipe in, then hurried out of the demolished windows.

……..

Starscream flitted over the dark rooftops, growling as the day began to show itself on the horizon. Thundercracker flew in position at his right, his formation tight, as if they had been flying together for ages._But then again, it really has been forever, well, for me._

"What did you see, Thundercracker?"

"A missile launcher, over there," Thundercracker sent him the coordinates. They turned and flew over the building to find the empty and abandoned missile launcher. "I would have missed them if they hadn't made noise."

"Hmph!" Starscream combed the area with his sensors, looking for the telltale Decepticon signature he had known from his early days with the Decepticons. _They changed it routinely, for the element of surprise, but it was never that different, just a few lines off…_

"There!" Starscream let fire a missile. It keened around a few buildings and then slammed into one. They heard shouts and dove into the alleyway, quickly transforming and landing atop a pile of rubble.

Before them waited two very armored wheeled vehicles. One was black. One was white.

"Autobots?" Starscream muttered. He frowned at the purple insignias on their hoods, and opened his mouth to shout a warning but…

The vehicles revved and careened at them, the white vehicle slamming into Starscream. He had no time to see what came of the black vehicle and Thundercracker, as he was tumbling down the rubble, warnings flashing about a possible energon leak, and the mech's fists attempting to crash into any part of his chassis that they could have any luck in meeting. They tumbled to the ground and Starscream ignited his thrusters, gaining some distance and getting the mech to let go of him.

The mech was on his feet, laughing, and running at him again.

Annoyed, Starscream fired the null ray.

The mech fell forward, paralyzed, and by the time his systems were able to function again, Starscream had kicked away any of his weapons and had a blaster aimed to his visor. "Runamuck?"

"Don't talk to him, Runamuck!" the other mech shouted. Starscream pinned the white mech down with a thruster and looked up to see the black mech at the top of the rubble pile, aiming a weapon down on Starscream.

Starscream scowled and began to ease up on the white mech. "Damn it, Thundercracker…"

The black mech was suddenly sent flying by a tackle from the bluw and white jet; he was dropped unceremoniously on the ground before Starscream and then pinned into the metal ground as Thundercracker landed atop him. Thundercracker slammed his fist into the mech's helm, silencing his cries.

Starscream smirked and reaffirmed his draw on the white mech. "What do you see, Thundercracker?"

"Purple insignias."

"Decepticons!" Starscream reached back his hand and thrust it into the mech's chest. The mech screamed out under his hands and tried to push him off, but Starscream held fast, hitting the mech in places that he knew would weaken him. With a devilish smirk he dug his fingers under the armored plating and ripped the chest armor – and some wires underneath – clean from the chassis. The mech struggled weakly, his strength draining with the mech fluid that began trickling to the metal ground under them.

"What is Megatron planning now?" Starscream screeched. "Maybe if you tell me, I won't let you deactivate!"

The mech gave a mechanical gurgle and shook his head, his hands still trying to pry Starscream off him, but to no avail.

Starscream grinned and aimed his blaster at the mech, then fired. The mech's shouts died in one last scream, and then all was silent.

The mech's partner, who had been watching with astonishment, began his struggles anew. Thundercracker growled and held fast. "Sir?"

Starscream went over to the struggling mech and peered down at him with a smug haughtiness. "Now, Runabout, you saw what I just did to your brother…I'll do it to you, if you don't tell me what Megatron is planning."

The mech struggled. "I'm not tellin' you a thing!"

Starscream looked up to see the blue jet watching him. "Destroy him."

The blue jet didn't hesitate, and began his own dismantling of the mech under him.

"No! Wait!" The mech tried unsuccessfully to kick Thundercracker off him, and soon found himself being torn apart by both mechs. "Please! He's…he's gonna reprogram Kaon! For the love of Primus don't kill me!"

Starscream paused, a handful of wires ready to be ripped free from the mech's chassis in his fist. He hated such bloodthirsty tactics, preferring to silence a mech with the much more dignified blaster shot, but he was angry, and wanted to teach Megatron a lesson. "Oh…_really_?"

Thundercracker slowed his assault, but didn't stop. The mech was now without much defense, with fluid flowing freely from broken lines and various places on his chassis sparking wildly.

"Yeah! I promise! He's gotta meeting in two orns! I swear! Please…let me go!"

Starscream smirked and straightened. "Runabout, you stupid mech! Did you really _think_ that _I_ would let you function after you assaulted _my_ friends?"

Runabout's optics flashed.

Starscream scowled as the mech realized his fate and attempted to struggle with renewed vigor. "Thundercracker?"

Thundercracker fired his blasters into his captive's laser core, silencing it. The core sputtered in smoke and sparks, and he could see the blue light of the mech's spark fade. He dropped the chassis as it began to turn gray. Starscream kicked away the Decepticon he had deactivated, and turned to Thundercracker, who waited patiently. "You didn't hesitate under my orders."

"No, sir." Thundercracker frowned at the mech fluid on his hands and arms, then returned his optics to Starscream's.

Starscream smirked, leaning down to rip the metal marked by the Decepticon insignias from both of the now deactivated mechs. "Your loyalty is…much appreciated." He motioned to the wrecked chassis below them and pocketed the insignias. "Runabout and Runamuck. Megatron's brute, stupid force, when you need someone willing to kill and make a mess while doing it, and possibly die in the process." He turned to Thundercracker, not admitting that he had not recognized the two in their Cybertronian modes. "Let's go find the others."

Thundercracker nodded and transformed, taking off after his commander. The two found themselves joined by Skyfire, who reported that he carried the three injured mechs. The two jets flanked him in escort as they left the scene.

_Now what do we do, sir?_

Thundercracker.

_We go to Wheeljack's and repair ourselves. I have a few programs I need to write for Swindle and Sideswipe, and then…_

_We go to Kaon. _

…………

Prowl looked down at the glass and steel rubble under his feet, then turned his optics to survey the damage. One building destroyed, the others about it severely damaged from its fall and the debris. Another building damaged from a missile. Two deactivated and dismantled in an alleyway.

Possibly others in the wreckage.

He knelt as he saw something in the rubble, and began tossing away debris.

"What is it, Prowl?"

Prowl picked up the object and stood, showing his find to his friend, Ironhide. Red insignias, freshly applied, gleamed on their chassis.

"Oh, slag," Ironhide viewed the object. "Ya know who it is?"

"One of the perpetrators believed to have been involved in the weapons smuggling at the dock. Sideswipe, I believed his name was," Prowl examined the object. A hand, and forearm, heavily damaged. "It matches his paint scheme, and when we investigated his home last night, his brother informed us he hadn't seen him in a few orns. We were going to confront him here…but it seems as if someone beat us to it."

"Them mechs in the alleyway are of Kaon origin, just like ya said," Ironhide said. "Maybe these guys are bein' targeted by the Decepticons too."

Prowl gave a nod and looked past the wreckage. A sizeable crowd had formed, although no one was brave enough to step past the line of police mechs…save for one mech, who was allowed through. "Here," he handed the arm to Ironhide. "Call your medic friend. Have the Constructicons begin moving rubble, but be careful. There may still be people inside."

"Gotcha."

Prowl made his way out of the destruction to the mech who stood waiting for him beyond. "How did you know I was here?"

"Seems to be your callin' card these days," the mech said, his visor flashing in dry humor. "Somethin' blows up; you're there the next day."

"I don't enjoy this, if that's what you're implying, Jazz."

"'m not implyin' nothin'," the mech motioned to Prowl's insignia with his chin. "What's the tattoo for?"

"I'll tell you later. You have optics on the back of your head, it seems. If there was a time for you to let me know about something, now's the time."

"I haven't heard or seen nothin'. Whoever's doin' this, they aren't from 'round here, an' they don't travel through my circles. People are scared, Prowl. No one's been comin' to the club, it's nearly dead. High grade's stopped comin'. Even your old friends aren't up to their usual. Everyone's too scared t' move."

"It's terrorism," Prowl said flatly, once again turning his optics to the destruction. "Meant to control people through fear, to make them do what the aggressor wants. We've tightened security, but they find more targets to hit. This time, it was only two mechs and a missile launcher."

The visored mech's face was without a smile. "Whatever it is you're doin', Prowl, if you need help, you know I'm here."

"Thanks, I appreciate it…"

"Hey! You can't go there!"

The two turned to the crowd as one of the other black and whites under Prowl's command tried to hold back a tall yellow and black mech. The black and white found himself more than easily tossed aside. Both Prowl and Jazz hurried to meet the mech and found themselves struggling against someone much stronger than themselves.

"Sunstreaker!" Prowl tried to shove the mech back. The yellow mech eyed him and pushed them both aside and began scrambling across the wreckage. "Sunstreaker! Don't…!"

It was too late. Sunstreaker stopped short as he saw the older red mech begin aligning body parts atop the rubble. He immediately recognized the charred arm amongst the other remains, some of which he recognized from other tenants in the building who often worked late or during the night shift.

He froze. Ironhide looked up, then gave Prowl and Jazz a questioning look as they ran up. "Who the slag is this?"

"Sunstreaker," Prowl tried to put his hand on the yellow mech's shoulder, but found himself shoved away again. "If he's here, we'll find him."

The yellow mech ignored him and gingerly picked up the damaged arm. He saw that it was devoid of mech fluid, and that it and most of its internals were rather charred. He scowled and turned to the two, who took a step back despite themselves. "What. The Pit. Happened?!"

"There was an attack," Prowl said calmly. "It's highly probable that whoever Sideswipe was involved with garnered the attention of the Decepticons." He stepped forward. "Sunstreaker, you're a spark twin. Isn't there some sort of bond where you can detect Sideswipe if…he's here?"

Sunstreaker glared at him. "What kind of idiocy is that?"

"Whoa, Sunstreaker, we're just tryin' ta help!" Jazz said softly. "Is there anything you can tell us 'bout who Sideswipe was workin' for?"

"I told Officer Smarts here everything yesterday night," Sunstreaker turned his optics to Prowl and took a step forward. "Maybe if you had done your job the way you were _supposed_ to, this would have never happened!"

Prowl was taken aback, but hid it well. "Sunstreaker, these types of attacks are happening throughout Iacon and the neighboring states, we're doing the best…"

"Shut it," Sunstreaker turned to Jazz. "He was working for some idle-processored mech named Starscream, some sort of military jet." He gave the two one last glare as six green and purple mechs rolled up and began sifting debris. "You better pray to Primus that Sideswipe is still functioning."

He turned and began walking away before Prowl grabbed him again. He whirled around ready to hit the officer, but Prowl had anticipated the move and had ducked out of the way. "What?!"

"Please, let us keep that. We can probably determine if Sideswipe is still alive by examining the injuries."

Sunstreaker considered this, looking down at the severed arm. After a few moments, his scowling face flinched slightly. "Fine," he held the arm away when Prowl held out his hand for it. "But I'm going with it."

Prowl glanced at Jazz, who only answered with a shrug and a helpless smirk.


	26. Slaves

Chapter Twenty Six: Slaves

Chapter Twenty Six: Slaves

Mechs and femmes alike slowly began filing through the wreckage piles in the dark, climbing over the planet's waiting scrap metal and trash to a large, cleared out area sunk deep within the garbage. None seemed to mind as they picked their ways over the planet's dead; they were sent here for dissection and were either melted down to make new chassis or building materials, or their parts salvaged for secondary markets. The grayed bodies intermingled with everyday waste, which was later sorted out to be sent off planet.

It was the perfect place to meet in secret. The guards allowed for it to be used, and most wanted to attend the meeting anyway.

There were too many people without employment, too many who scraped by daily just to stay within optimal performance levels. Energon prices were too high.

Many of the dead about them had not died of old age, or of war or accidents.

They had been deactivated. Many had self terminated.

A mech could survive for eons on very little energy while in stasis. The first to go were the larger mechs, or the more out of date ones, whose fuel economy was not the same as newer models.

But those were considered the weak. There was no room for weakness in Kaon, even if that meant being less fuel efficient. If you fell into stasis, if you could not fend for yourself, you were destined for the pits. It was better to override the stasis and let your spark burn itself out.

The state had been handed, nearly overnight, to the restless "youth". A younger generation that didn't want to die from starvation simply because of what they were designed to be.

A younger generation with the ability to enforce their beliefs.

The guards let everyone in, appointed by Megatron to keep watch for anyone not of military origin, and of course, any of the six known challengers of Megatron's intentions. Any seeker with a similar color scheme to the three that the guards had data on were stopped and questioned.

Soon, the crowd had stopped trickling in, and the throng of people stood waiting before a raised stage podium with a scrap metal backdrop, the area framed by piles of scrap, which they had to climb down from in order to reach the "auditorium". Chatter droned as lights turned on with mechanical whirrs and was aimed to the podium.

The crowd's noise died down and all optics turned to the podium.

Murmurs arose when no one took the stage.

It was only when an explosion ripped into the hills of scrap in the distant junkyard did the crowd move, either from the surprise or from the rain of shrapnel that was expelled in every direction.

………………………………

Ratchet frowned down at the remains set on the inactive berths before him. Ironhide had called him a few orns ago, asking him if he could examine them as a second opinion to the police investigators. This had troubled him because Ironhide was not an officer. He eyed the red insignias on both Ironhide and Prowl's chassis and planned to ask the older mech about it later.

"Well?"

Ratchet turned to Ironhide, who stood with a datapad beside the officer, Prowl. He turned his optics to the scowling yellow mech standing apart from them, waiting with crossed arms. Cycling air forcefully, he motioned to the remains on the berths. There were two nearly complete mechs, the rest were piles of bits and pieces…and a red and black arm. "Well, it's obvious these two are deactivated," he motioned to the complete remains, which were grayed over. "Their chassis were pulverized when the building went down."

Prowl didn't seem fazed, as if he had seen pulverized, deactivated mechs all his existence. "And the others?"

Ratchet motioned to a pile of yellowish gray pieces of chassis. "I believe this was the concierge, but I don't know why she was still in the building after hours."

"She had a beau on the twenty third floor," Ironhide said. He pointed to one of the nearly complete mechs. "Most of the tenants we questioned confirmed that."

"Oh. Well. It is possible she escaped alive, but very unlikely," he picked up a large piece of twisted metal. "These pieces all connect to different systems throughout the body. It's possible that she too was pulverized, or caught up somehow in the explosion. It would explain the lack of the rest of her chassis."

The yellow mech's scowl deepened. "What about my brother?"

Ratchet eyed the yellow mech. He had done nothing but send glowers his way for most of the orn, and had made it perfectly clear that he did not appreciate any of them as company, especially not Prowl. "Sunstreaker, was it?"

The mech gave a nod.

"Your brother," Ratchet began, picking up the hand. He turned to the yellow mech and stopped himself from unleashing his diagnosis bluntly; the yellow mech's face flickered from anger to something softer. It had been brief, but it had been there. Ratchet sighed. "My results are inconclusive."

"Whaddaya mean, 'inconclusive'? Is the mech dead or not?" Ironhide blurted.

Prowl gave no indication that this news was a surprise. "There is no way to determine if Sideswipe was still alive when the arm was severed?"

"That's the thing," Ratchet pointed to the limb in question. "See this? This is a blaster mark, made in very close proximity. Most of the elbow joint is disintegrated. However, the tightening of the fuel line," he motioned to a black tube. "Shows that the limb was possibly disabled and the circuitry dead. I think this happened before the blaster wound, as it shows here," he motioned to a dented area where most of the arm was caved in towards the inside of the arm. "That it was pinched and severed. Fuel lines constrict when severed when the chassis is still alive. If he had been deactivated, there would have been no change and we would see a lot more partially solidified energon residue."

"So…he was still alive when his arm got cut off? That's what you're saying, right?" Sunstreaker asked.

"Yes. But…I can't tell you if he's still alive now. If he was in that building when it collapsed," Ratchet turned to the other remains. "You two are built tough, but I doubt your brother could have survived a whole building falling on him."

Sunstreaker looked down at the arm, his gaze not giving away any hint of emotion.

"Sunstreaker?" Prowl tried.

The yellow mech snapped his gaze to the officer. "We need to find Starscream and those seekers."

Prowl didn't miss a beat. "The city has been combed. There are no signs of Starscream or any other seeker."

"What about Sideswipe's contact, Swindle?"

"He's gone too. I have a feeling you are more than aware of his illegal dealings with Swindle."

Sunstreaker scowled. "If you're trying to make me an accomplice to a crime, I am not interested! Find my brother! When you find him, you'll find those seekers, and your damn weapons!"

Prowl cycled a sigh. It was hard to talk to Sunstreaker. The mech had been reluctant to talk about his brother's activities, but now wanted them to drop everything to find him. Selfish wouldn't be strong enough of a word to apply to the yellow twin. Unfortunately, finding Sideswipe was becoming more of a priority. He was tied to these rebels, and Prowl hated to agree with someone such as Sunstreaker, especially when the mech's logic was beyond logical by any means.

"Prowl," Ironhide said, coming up to him with a datapad. "Seems they found what you needed to know 'bout Starscream. Turns out he worked with the Science Council. He and his partner were dismissed over a vorn ago."

"What is his partner's designation?"

"Skyfire."

Prowl took the datapad. "I need to know everything about this mech." He turned his optics to Sunstreaker, who watched carefully. "I will contact Prime." He left the room, leaving the three in silence after handing the datapad back to Ironhide.

Ratchet frowned and turned to Ironhide. "What's up with the insignias?"

Ironhide gave a visible fidget. "Somethin's goin' down. Word is there's a rebel movement comin' up through the military states. We've been appointed by Prime to try and stop it."

"You and Prowl?"

"And Jazz."

"Three mechs are not going to stop an entire state's worth of rebels."

"It ain't just us, Ratch'. Most of the security forces of Iacon and other states have been turnin' Autobot. Helps us discern who is who."

"Like the rebels are going to show up with their own insignia to conveniently let you know who they are?" Sunstreaker scoffed.

Ironhide turned to his datapad and punched in a few commands. He held it up for all to see, showing a purple insignia. "They're callin' themselves the Decepticons."

"It seems as if pride comes before prudence," Ratchet muttered. "But isn't that red symbol more of a target?"

"We need to know where alliances lay," Ironhide said gruffly. He looked at the datapad and his expression hardened. "I had a few friends die up in that blast down at the docks. Like slag am I gonna let this just pass." He turned to Sunstreaker, who was staring at him intently. "What're you lookin' at?"

"How do you join?"

……………………………….

Megatron walked through the junkyard, flanked by his guardian, Shockwave, and his most trusted aid, Soundwave. Rumble and Frenzy walked, or rather, ran with them, their steps so small that it took them to full gallop to stay in pace. He spoke to no one in particular. "Any sign of either Starscream or any of his known allies?"

"None, Lord Megatron," Shockwave answered simply.

"I do not want any incident," Megatron continued. "Kaon is all but ours. All we need is to dispense of the governors and any lingering Iacon sympathists. The state will collapse around them in one fell swoop to show the world our intentions. Is the machine ready?"

"Yes, my Lord."

"Good."

Before them stood the hills of scrap that framed the makeshift auditorium. He hated having to conduct meetings in scrap yards, but anything else was too out in the open. Too easily traced. In the end, scrap was scrap. Without pausing he strode purposefully towards the auditorium when his vision was assaulted by bright heat when the ground before him disintegrated into exploding fire and debris.

He felt himself flung backwards, landing on his back as scrap rained down at them. He barely had time to register the pain in his systems when a large white hand grabbed him up by the shoulder and hefted him into the air, the fingers digging into his plating. The silver mech gave a growl in response to the pain, but nothing more.

He scowled down into the icy blue optics of a shuttle and raised his cannon only to have the shuttle grab it. The huge white fingers crunched down on it and his arm, reducing both the weapon and his limb to malfunctioning scrap. "I would not move if I were you," the calm voice of the shuttle stated.

A voice, the kind of voice one doesn't easily forget, taunted him from below. "Not so mighty now, are we, _Lord Megatron_?"

Megatron looked down and scowled. "_You!_"

Starscream looked up at him and had the audacity to wave at him with waggling fingers. "If you don't provoke him, Skyfire won't hurt you." He motioned behind him, where the other two seekers, Skywarp and Thundercracker, held Soundwave and Shockwave at bay with large blaster rifles.

"This place is filled with mechs who are loyal to me," Megatron seethed. "Whatever you are planning, it will be short lived."

"Says the mech who plans to reprogram Kaon. I don't think they'd be so loyal if they knew what you were planning."

Megatron's scowl deepened, but he said nothing. How did this stranger know his intentions? He wasn't guessing, that was for sure. Megatron knew how to read others. It helped him as a leader. He knew how to use emotion, either to produce the results he desired from others or to get a lead on what others were thinking. Emotion was for the weak, and the smart knew to abandon it, especially in his presence.

And here the little seeker all but waved it before him. So, he decided to be direct. "What do you want?"

"The location, or locations if you have more than one, of your reprogramming device." Starscream smirked. "And don't lie, we know you have one here."

Megatron said nothing. He just stared down at the seeker intently.

Starscream scowled. "Fine! We will find it ourselves!" He turned to the other seekers. "Any word from the others?"

Thundercracker eyed Soundwave. "Well?"

Soundwave regarded the seeker and his weapon, then turned to Megatron. The cassettes about him held their arms up but dealt Thundercracker a set of nasty glares. "Transmission intercepted: reprogramming device found and destroyed. Sideswipe: injured."

"That's a good telepath," Starscream sneered. "We shouldn't keep your audience waiting, Megatron," he motioned towards the lighted area of the scrap yard, past the flames that dotted the scrap here and there. "At least Wheeljack's experiments are good for _something_." He accessed his communications to tell the others to head toward the stage, and began leading the jets and their captives around the crater caused by their explosion. "Not nearly the same as what Runabout and Runamuck created but," Starscream unpocketed the purple insignias and held them up for Megatron to see. The silver mech eyed them but did nothing, not even struggle, while in the hands of the white shuttle. "Nothing to say? Not even for those loyal to you?" He scowled and turned away. "How typical."

Skyfire tried not to look at the mech he held at his mercies. Starscream had convinced him of his role in detaining the Decepticon leader after much begging and prodding, and finally he had relented, only because Starscream had told him that if Megatron got the chance to shoot off his fusion cannon, it'd be all over. He had been promised that they would not intentionally set out to hurt anyone, and so far, they hadn't, aside from the little explosion Wheeljack had cooked up.

He looked at the ditch created by the explosion as they passed it and shook his head.

Megatron watched him intently. "Not one for violence?"

"Don't talk to him!" Starscream spat. He cast Megatron a glare from over his shoulder.

Megatron smirked to himself. So the two were an item? The shuttle did not completely approve of Starscream's behavior, but went along with it. Thus was emotion. Emotion was weak. Emotion could be exploited. He opened his mouth to say more, but the shuttle spoke first. "Do not speak to me." His icy optics met Megatron's. "Please."

So the shuttle was stronger than he had thought. He said nothing and turned his optics to Soundwave, who followed them wordlessly, rifle to his back.

The only indication that the mech had received his command was a slight turn of the head.

…………………….

Wheeljack grimaced as he pulled himself upright. The last thing he had remembered, that…_thing_…had jumped out at him. If it hadn't been for Sideswipe tackling that thing from near midair, he would have probably been reprogrammed by now. But he also wouldn't have been sent sailing into the surrounding junkheaps of where the Decepticons had made a temporary camp. "Ah, my achin' servos," he brought his feet under him slowly and stood, the whir of his servos protesting against the movement.

"Hey, Wheeljack!"

The inventor turned. Swindle stood there nervously, before a supine Sideswipe.

The machine that had attacked them, huge and white and sporting reprogramming mechanisms on an array of tentacle like arms, sat between them, severed in two and sparking in its demise.

"Well, at least it didn't hurt nobody."

Swindle frowned and pointed to Sideswipe. "The others are already going to the stage!"

Wheeljack went over and looked down at Sideswipe. The back of his helm was all but melted off. "Oh, slag," he knelt and turned him slightly on his side, grimacing at the damage. At least Swindle couldn't see his expression. "This isn't good. That thing got him?"

"He ripped it off when it was trying to get at him."

"It looks like it almost succeeded," he motioned to the damage. "If it didn't reprogram him, then his memory chips are mostly all fried anyway."

Swindle frowned and motioned to the machine. "I shot it…I didn't think I'd tear it in two. Do you think it's still useful?"

Wheeljack looked at the machine, then at Swindle. "No, Swindle, I don't think anyone will be using it anytime soon." He turned back to Sideswipe. "I'll stay here with him. You get that thing to the stage."

"Slag no. I am not touching that thing."

"Swindle!"

"I did not get paid enough to put my existence…"

"It's _deactivated, _Swindle! It ain't gonna hurt you!"

Swindle eyed the inventor, then looked at the machine. "Fine. But you owe me."

"Owe you what?"

"I dunno, I'll think of something," he reached for one of the machine's arms, a sound akin to a whine escaping his vocalizer. Wheeljack watched him and would have laughed if he hadn't been attending to Sideswipe. Swindle picked up a half of the thing in each hand and began dragging it away.

"Now, you," Wheeljack shook is head at Sideswipe, whose dark optics watched him. The mech was safe in stasis. "You're lucky you didn't deactivate yourself with that kinda stunt," he turned him to his side once more. "But then again, I'd rather die than be a Decepticreep too," he touched the damaged circuitry and looked about them. The place was littered with deactivated mechs. He would have no problem finding parts to fix the damage, even if enough to bring him online to get him out of there. "I ain't no doctor, so don't hold it against me when I say I don't know exactly what I'm doin'."

…………………..

After they cleared the camp – which allowed Megatron to see the group of mechs in stasis near the entrance, all of whom had been stationed as guards – Starscream paused before the stage. They could see mechs and femmes standing about them, disturbed from their seats by the explosion. No one moved however, and just watched silently.

_They are not completely loyal to Megatron yet. My loyalty would certainly be swayed if I saw this._ "Where are your loyal followers, _Mighty Megatron_?" Starscream turned to glare up at the silver mech. "I know you, and I know everything you plan to do. I know what happens to you, and every single mech about us." He stepped closer. "I won't let you do it."

"You cannot stop me. You are but a seeker. Military standard production. There is nothing special about you to discern you from the two who stand with you, or the other seekers about us," Megatron spoke lowly.

"Nuh-uh-uh!" Starscream waved a finger at him, enjoying the look of indignation on Megatron's faceplates. "I wouldn't go so far to say that. That's what will be your downfall, Megatron," he grinned. "You think you are so much better, but the truth is, without anyone behind you, you're just a solitary insane mech with dreams of grandeur. The world needs someone who understands all facets of existence, not just war and destruction!"

"And you plan to defeat me with this…rag tag group?" Megatron smirked. "You have two seekers who have probably never seen any true combat, a shuttle who refuses to fight, and a couple of civilians."

"You seem to have been incapacitated by my 'shuttle' and, well," Starscream turned towards the stage, and then the silent red optics that watched from the dark. "Do you mind if I steal your army, Megatron?"

Megatron scowled.

"I didn't think so. Wait here, please," with that he turned and headed towards the stage. The lights still shone on the podium, and he looked out onto a sea of silent bots. A murmur arose from the crowd.

Someone shouted. "Where's Megatron?!"

The crowd erupted into like yells. Starscream smirked. "Why, he's right here, of course," he motioned to the side of the stage as Skyfire dumped the silver mech. Megatron made to stand but found the end of a blaster rifle in his faceplates. "He's been defeated already across the globe, and I have defeated him here!"

Skyfire frowned but said nothing, keeping his optics on the silver mech.

"What kind of _leader_ would allow himself to be defeated so easily?"

The crowd died into murmuring, then near silence. Starscream looked out at them. "You want change, and you want importance. I too am a military mech; I know what it is like to be passed over just because my function didn't fit _their_ needs. But do you really want to replace the Prime with someone no better?"

Megatron moved again. Skyfire's hand held him in place as he tried to twist free, and the rifle was pressed to the back of his helm. Try as he might, he was not stronger than the shuttle.

"My name is Starscream."

The murmuring grew.

Starscream smirked. "I see my reputation precedes me. I know what happens to you. All of you," he pointed out into the crowd, at a red mech. "Thrust," he pointed somewhere else. "Viewfinder." Another place. "Blitzwing." Blitzwing fidgeted in surprise. Those about him turned to him, no doubt asking him questions. The mech shrugged, shaking his head as he responded, his words lost within the crowd's noise. Starscream looked about. There were a few names he didn't know. "Most of you would be deactivated before you ever reached Iacon. The rest of you would fight in a war that would destroy this planet and any resource it may still carry, instead of solving our problems. You may crave action, or power, or control, but with Megatron all you will get is a trip to the pits!"

The crowd's murmuring turned into a hum of steady talking.

"If you follow me, I will ensure your purpose is served."

Skyfire's optics shot up to Starscream. This was _not_ part of the plan.

"I will ensure that no one will ever go hungry or without work ever again!"

The crowd erupted, some shouting, some cheering. It was confusion. Chaos. The sea of red optics seemed to blaze brighter.

"You fool! They are loyal to me, and wouldn't dare follow some no name Vos-bred idiot such as yourself!"

Starscream looked down at Megatron. He turned back to the crowd. "If you wish to stay with Megatron, I am quite sure he'd be happy to have you, once you are all reprogrammed."

The crowd hushed quite suddenly as a mustard colored mech climbed onto the stage, a piece of destroyed machinery in each hand. He dumped it on the stage and took a few steps back as the thing sparked.

Megatron eyed the machine, then Starscream.

"You honestly didn't think that you would be able to keep some semblance of free will, did you?" Starscream sneered at the crowd. "Stay. Be slaves, if that is what you wish for your existences. I am sure where he has one reprogramming device, he has many more."

The crowd lurched forward as their tone grew angrier. Those on stage watched as they pushed forward, some resisting, but many trying to get closer to the stage.

"What have you done?" Megatron struggled anew, and this time Skyfire let him go. He turned to see the seekers and shuttle move away from them. He found himself hefted to his feet by one purple hand. "Shoot them!"

A shot was fired, and then the crowd rolled forward.


	27. Movement

Chapter Twenty Seven: Movement

"Get out of here!" Starscream yelled as the crowd descended on them. Blaster shots were exchanged between Megatron's aides and themselves, but Starscream shoved Thundercracker's shoulder to get his attention. "Transform and get out of here!" With that he leapt up and transformed, shooting up into the sky. The others followed, but Skyfire stayed, grabbing up Swindle and pushing through the crowd when it finally reached the stage.

"He sure knows how to make people angry!" Swindle shouted, his voice lost amongst the noise. Blaster shots still rang out. "Where are we going?!"

"To get Wheeljack and Sideswipe!" Skyfire looked up as the seekers flew above them, firing down at the ground behind them. He could hear the chaos behind him and hoped that the crowd would remain preoccupied with Megatron.

Swindle looked over Skyfire's shoulder to see the black four legged cassetticon coming after them. "You can't be serious!"

Blaster fire impacted into Skyfire's shoulder, causing Swindle to duck. He peered over the shoulder again to spy the two cassetticon raptors firing down at them. "I guess we forgot about them." He ducked with Skyfire behind a pile of scrap, then peered from behind Skyfire's bulk to fire at the cassetticons.

Ravage charged; Swindle leapt out of the way and scrambled backwards as the cat advanced, snarling and growling. He aimed at it, then frowned and pulled something from subspace. Energon goodies. He tossed them at the cat. "There! Take it!"

The cat looked at the goodies as they settled on the ground before him and then turned right back to snarling and stalking Swindle.

The mustard colored mech scrambled to his feet and began running just as the cat lunged. "I guess not everyone takes a bribe!"

Skyfire ignored Swindle and aimed at the raptors, dodging their fire as he did so. His finger was on the trigger. A blast impacted on his leg. He frowned and pulled his finger down…

A shot fired, hitting one of the raptors, but it wasn't from him. Wheeljack and Sideswipe rushed forward from the hills of scrap, blaster rifles firing. Skyfire said nothing and transformed so that the three could climb inside; the ramp lifted just as Ravage tried to rush Swindle once more.

The cat only growled lowly as the shuttle took off.

…………..

"You do not understand, I have authorized clearance to see the Prime," Prowl stated to the guard.

"For the last time, we do not handle direct civilian policing," the guard stated, his voice deep and flat. The beady blue optics stared down at him, the only seeming sign of intelligence on the giant red chassis. "Please direct your claims to your superiors."

Prowl frowned, not wanting to explain – once more – that he was the head of his unit, and therefore had no other true superior, unless he were to go to a governor. Ironhide, Ratchet, Jazz, and Sunstreaker stood behind him, waiting patiently. Except for Sunstreaker, that is, who cast the guard a glare that could send younglings running.

"What is going on here?" A red and white mech stepped from behind the security gate that sealed off the domed city. He was vastly shorter than the guards but they stood aside to let him through to glare at Prowl. He motioned for a datapad and a guard deposited one in his hand. "What is your designation?"

"Prowl. I am an officer with…"

"I know who you are _with_," the mech glared at him and turned his gaze to the datapad. "You have no clearance to be here today."

"It's somewhat of an emergency. I was told by the Prime himself that I would be…"

"No one told me," the mech folded his arms.

"Well, who are you?"

"Red Alert, Security Officer."

"Red Alert, I am an Auto…"

"Autobot, yes. You understand that the Autobots technically don't exist?"

Ironhide grunted. "Hear that? We don't exist."

Red Alert turned to the group and pointed. "Who are you? Not you. Sunshine, who are you?"

The yellow twin's optics flickered. "Sunshine?"

Jazz snickered.

"What is your designation?"

"Sunstreaker."

"And you?"

"Ratchet."

The red and white mech consulted his datapad once more, and Prowl began to wonder just what was accessible by the datapad. "You are not Autobots."

"Not yet," Sunstreaker spat. "If you'd shut up and let us in, that'd probably change." Red Alert cast an indignant glare at the yellow twin, who only smirked tauntingly in response.

"Sir, please contact the Prime. I am sure if he knew we were here, this misunderstanding could be set right," Prowl said calmly.

Red Alert eyed him and then once again consulted the datapad wordlessly. After a breem he frowned at the officer. "Escort them to the Prime." A few guards moved, and the whole group began to move towards the large security gate. "Not you two!" Red Alert pointed to Sunstreaker and Ratchet. "You two stay here."

"Sir, these two have important information regarding the Decepticon uprising in Kaon," Prowl said. "Information that the Prime needs to hear, information that is imperative to stopping the Decepticon threat on Iacon," he paused. "And to the Prime."

Red Alert fidgeted. He glanced down at the datapad, then at the two non-Autobots. "Fine!" He handed the datapad off to one of the guards and pulled a pistol. "I am going with you to personally see to it that what you say is true."

The group exchanged glances but allowed themselves to be escorted through the gates with Red Alert bringing up the rear. Ironhide glanced at the Security Officer and then muttered to Ratchet. "That younglin' has too much paranoia for his own good."

"It's probably what makes him a good Security Officer," Ratchet hissed back.

"Your bad attitude don't make you any better of a doc, Ratch'." Ratchet glared at Ironhide, who only grinned. "Where's 'Jack? Haven't seen him 'round lately?"

"Slag if I know. He hasn't been answering any of his calls." Ratchet looked about as they were led through security gate into the city within the cities, over the most polished walkway he had ever stepped on. Light streamed in from the open dome; taunting and obstinate in its posture despite the uprising of rebellions. In the distance was the capitol building and the Prime's main residence. The entire thing gleamed, crystalline and metal, spires circling yet another high dome, with grand metal doors etched in Cybertronian promises and adages, the figures arranged just so to depict the stars and the moons above, and the planet itself below. "Would you get a look at that?"

The others were silent as they were led by the guards through the doors and rather imperial archway that it was set into. Beyond was a hallway seemingly comprised of crystalline windows, with natural grown crystal vines dangling from the impossibly high ceiling to cast glints of light upon them. Ironhide grunted. "This is just overkill."

"It's beautiful," Sunstreaker spat. The others looked at him, then looked away when his appreciative expression was replaced with his usual glare.

"This palace dates back to the first Prime ever, or so we are told," Red Alert said from behind. "The only one who knows for sure is the current Prime." They were led out of the foyer to an even more impossibly large room. The ceiling was even higher, stretching up and lined with crystalline windows near the domed ceiling. In the middle of the room was a giant dias, and the rooms walls were lined with seats. Above them, on a chair that protruded into the room and held up by gleaming balusters, was Sentinel Prime himself.

…………………

Starscream banked as an anti aircraft blast soared past him. They were coming so fast that it was near impossible to track them all in time. "Frag it!"

The others attempted to dodge as well, but it was obvious that the closer they got to Kaon's borders, the more determined their aggressors became in trying to stop them.

"We need to land, Starscream!" Skyfire said.

"If we land, we're slag!"

"I guess your plan didn't work," Skywarp said.

"Shut it, Skywarp!"

Skyfire gave a worried sound and turned his voice inward. "How is Sideswipe, Wheeljack?"

"He, and all of us, would be a lot better if this jostlin' stopped!"

"I am doing the best…" Skyfire dodged another blast. "I can!" Another blast came up from underneath, singing his wing as he tried to dodge. Warnings came up, blaring red and sharp in his vision. "I am hit!"

Starscream cursed inwardly and quickly debated. They couldn't stay up here, but they'd be completely slagged on the ground, out of their element. He almost gave the order to land when the air became silent and the anti-aircraft missiles stopped firing.

Skyfire teetered but managed to stay aloft. "Are we out of Kaon?"

"No," Thundercracker answered.

"Something isn't right…" Skywarp whined.

"He's right," Starscream muttered. He picked up three energy signatures coming at them from separate directions. Fast. "Evasive….!"

Skywarp disappeared just as a white jet rose up from below him, like a shark aiming for a seal. Starscream broke left and Thundercracker right as a red jet and a blue jet took towards them in opposite directions.

Skyfire tried to react, but the wound on his wing wasn't having it, and it just made him lose altitude. "I'm landing!"

No one answered as jets screamed across the sky.

………………….

"If I'd'a known I'd be standin' before the Prime I woulda waxed or somethin'," Ironhide hissed. His voice echoed through the hall despite his attempts to keep it low.

"You need more than a coat of wax," Ratchet hissed back.

Prowl tried to ignore those behind him and stepped forward. "Sentinel Prime, it is an honor to finally meet you face to face."

The mech before them said nothing, but turned his optics to each of those before him. He leaned forward and then stood, his servos moving smoothly despite his design, which made him seem older and wiser. The mech was tall, nearly twice their height, and heavily armored.

Even Jazz had a hard time keeping a jovial happy face.

"Prowl," Prime said simply. He looked once again at the others. "I know you've come to warn me about the Decepticons. Unfortunately as we speak, anti aircraft weapons are being fired in Kaon. Scans show a mass shift in the population that still exists. I am having all of our forces directed towards Kaon now."

Prowl seemed shocked. "S…sir, if we do that, then Iacon is out in the open."

"We've had military brought in from Vos, under the command of the senate."

"Sir, with all due respect…"

Sentinel Prime looked down at the officer. "This is not the first uprising or protest I have dealt with, Prowl. I know the rumors of energon shortage and hoarding. They are but rumors, I assure you. These rumors are giving fuel to terrorist rebels who only wish to use fear as a tool for their own uses." The Prime turned from Prowl and looked upon the others. "I will need you as part of the defense, should it come to that."

"Sir, I understand that the Autobot movement is growing, and mechs are signing up by the hundreds to help, but most do not have any sort of combat training…"

"That is what the military is for, Prowl. I've already given out extra rations to Vos to show them that this energon shortage is just a rumor and that they have no need to question where their loyalties lie." The Prime's bright blue optics met Prowl's. "I need you and your comrades to return to guarding the general citizenry. You are the first they will turn to. It is up to you to assure them that all is well."

Sunstreaker scowled and stepped forward. "All is _not_ well! People are dying!"

Jazz put a hand on Sunstreaker's arm but was cast off. "Sunstreaker!"

"Shut up!" Sunstreaker turned from Jazz to the Prime, who only watched with wisdom weary optics. "My _brother_ is out there somewhere! He could be deactivated, and others too, and all you want is for us to throw a patch weld on it?"

Ironhide frowned and pushed Sunstreaker back firmly. "Calm down! That ain't no way to be talkin' to the Prime!"

"I'm just saying what all of you are thinking but are too afraid to say," Sunstreaker pushed the red mech back. Ironhide growled and stepped forward, but the yellow twin didn't back down.

"Hold on, both of you!" Ratchet stepped between them and held out his hands. "For the love of Primus, cool it!"

"Sunstreaker does have a point," Prowl said calmly. Sentinel Prime turned his optics to Prowl. "I do not believe this is the most optimal course of action that we could engage. The city is completely open, despite the fortifications of the dome, as are the borders of the state. The Decepticons have already laid waste to too many important docks, disrupting trade routes, and have now turned to terrorizing civilians. Weapons are being dealt illegally, especially from Vos towards Kaon. I am tracking two separate movements; one of the Decepticons, and one of an unnamed faction who follow an ex-military scientist named Starscream."

The Prime hesitated. "Go on."

Prowl hesitated as well. "He…was dismissed from military service and the service of the Science Council due to what has been listed as discrepancies in research and falsifying reports, as well as rumors of sabotage of a mission that were never brought to trial. They were rumors, really, as a mission they were going to undertake but passed off to other scientists ran asunder, and the mechs who had taken the mission are listed as missing or deactivated.

"He and his partner Skyfire have been missing from Vos for quite some time. It is believed that they have dealt weapons illegally in Iacon proper. Their whereabouts are unknown, but their most logical course of action would be to return to a military state and try to gain more followers to their cause, as the Deceptions are now doing."

Sentinel Prime gave a nod. "Is that all you know?"

"No. It seems that although Starscream has been rather secretive of his whereabouts, I have the notion that the two remained together, and Skyfire has been spotted in Iacon and records at various supply stores indicate that he was purchasing supplies with credits under an employer's account," he produced a data pad. Red Alert took it from him with a glare and read it over.

Prowl tried his best not to let his irritation show through. "He has been working privately through a freelance inventor and engineer named Wheeljack."

"Wait an astrosecond!" Ratchet pushed his way forward and practically grabbed the datapad out of the Red Alert's hand. "That is not true! I know Wheeljack, and he would not participate in any illegal activities!" He scanned the information but shook his head, and glared at Prowl.

"I didn't say the activities were illegal. These parts were for energy converters. Wheeljack may not know what these two are up to. Perhaps even Skyfire does not know what Starscream is doing. The two have worked together before, back before Skyfire even enlisted in the military academy of Vos. That is probably how Wheeljack recommended you to them."

Prime's face twitched. "Prowl, I suggest you keep a better handle on your team's outbursts."

Prowl and Ratchet both seemed to shrink at the Prime's words. Ratchet handed the datapad back to Red Alert. Prowl cycled air. "He…didn't mean any harm by it, sir."

"No, I didn't…sir."

"Either way. This is a serious matter, and friendships and prior relationships cannot be the basis of judgment in our times and dealings. Law is indiscriminate. Are you prepared to arrest your friends, if such a thing would happen?"

Ratchet looked up to see the Prime's optics on him. "Well…sir…I don't know. I just know that Wheeljack…"

"It doesn't matter. You must be prepared to make a decision for the greater good of Cybertron as an Autobot. If you cannot handle that, then you cannot handle being an Autobot."

Ratchet's frame seemed to sag. His processor brought up all sorts of arguments, including how he was just a simple medic, but he just didn't argue with the Prime. "Yes, sir. I understand."

Sentinel Prime turned to Prowl. "I want you to investigate Wheeljack's dealings extensively. You were good to come here today to tell me this. Rest assured the knowledge will be put to good use."

Prowl opened his mouth to ask _how_, but the Prime was already moving into the shadows of the upper level. Red Alert glared at them in his wake.

"That coulda gone better," Jazz piped up suddenly, breaking the silence. Everyone turned to him in annoyance; he shrugged sheepishly.

………………….

Skyfire landed on a building top, the landing the wobbliest, most crooked landing he had ever made. He was somewhat glad that the seekers were preoccupied so that they did not witness it. He lowered the ramp and allowed the others out before transforming.

"You alright, Skyfire?" Wheeljack asked, eyeing Skyfire's injured wing.

"As long as I don't fly," Skyfire brought up his rifle and searched the skies. "Where did they go?"

Wheeljack and Swindle looked about. Wisps of smoke remained in the night sky, illuminated by the dank city lights below, the only sign of the explosive anti-aircraft weaponry that had been used moments before. The sky was devoid of jets.

It was quiet.

"I don't like this, not one bit," Swindle said. "Did I ever mention how much I hate Kaon?"

"Backing out now, Swindle?" Wheeljack muttered, bringing up his own weapon. The three backed in towards each other. The quiet was unnerving. It either meant they were safe, or in big trouble.

"Well, it isn't like Sideswipe is paying me for this," Swindle retorted. "Isn't that right, Sideswipe?"

When no one answered, the three looked about, spying Sideswipe standing apart from them, looking at them with a blank expression, his rifle to his side. One optic flickered, cracked from his injuries.

"Sideswipe," Skyfire started. Sideswipe turned to him, but made no other motion. "Are you alright?"

Sideswipe said nothing, but brought up his rifle and aimed at the group.

"Oh, slag," Wheeljack muttered.

……………

_I don't…remember…_

_It hit me…_

_What?_

_Designation…?_

_Bad script…_

_Abort?_

_Where is Sunstreaker?_

_Files…corrupted…_

_Who?_

…………..

"Hello, Dirge!" Starscream fired on the jet as they raced and dodged each other. "How are you?"

The jet responded by firing back, nearly hitting the other jet. "How do you know my designation?"

"I know everything!" He gave chase to the older jet, who could barely keep out of harm's reach as Starscream fired upon him. "Face it, Dirge, you're an oldschool model trying to bring down top of the line Vos manufacture!" With that he let fly a barrage of blast fire, successfully wounding the jet and sending it veering out of his targeting area. He saw Thundercracker and Skywarp soar by below him. "Too easy. I suppose running lawless in Kaon has softened you…"

"It hasn't softened me!"

The harsh impact of metal on metal broke his trajectory, metal hands clawing at his jet form. He forced a transformation even as he and his attacker began descending towards the bleak metal cityscape below, and found himself face to face with Thrust. "You!"

He freed an arm and aimed under Thrust's arm even as the white jet clawed at his face. He could feel his faceplates buckle – _accursed cheap military grade armor! _– and took a shot, only to have his arm kneed, the shot going askew.

Starscream dealt the sneering white jet a backhand, freeing himself momentarily, but just enough to see buildings rush up at him…

His thrusters fired erratically, buying a few seconds before they cut out again.

_Slag._


	28. Guardian

Chapter Twenty Eight: Guardian

Starscream felt hands grab him up and hoist him into the air. He looked at his arm to see blue hands. _Thundercracker…_

He fired his thrusters, and this time they didn't go out. "I'm fine!"

Thundercracker let him go as the red jet circled back. Both he and Starscream aimed and fired; the red jet went tumbling out of the sky, between buildings, and disappeared. "Two down…"

"Where is Skywarp?"

"The white one went after him."

Starscream scowled and looked about. He couldn't see anyone on his radar. "Where the slag is…?"

Something large and loud slammed into them from behind, along with the telltale flashes of teleportation. The something turned out to be Skywarp tussling with Ramjet, yelling and blasters going off erratically.

Starscream twisted and fired into the melee, his shot hitting both Ramjet and Skywarp at the same time, the blast stunning the two and causing their engines to go offline. Thundercracker was quick to catch the purple and black jet, and made his way to the nearest building.

Starscream watched Ramjet fall, then realized the air was silent. "Skyfire?" He looked about, but no one remained in the skies save for himself.

………………..

Swindle, Skyfire, and Wheeljack eyed Sideswipe as he aimed the blaster rifle at them, coldness in his flickering optics. They heard his weapon charging.

"All hail Megatron."

Skyfire stepped forward. "Wait, Sidesw---!"

A blast permeated the air, not coming from Sideswipe, but hitting him in the shoulder and sending him flying to the roof and sliding a ways before he stopped and lay there, smoldering.

The three glanced at each other; no one had taken the shot. They whirled around as three short purple and black figures came out from the shadows of the building.

"It seems as if what Starscream said about that contraption was right, right," one said, lowering his rifle.

The next, sporting a visor and grilled face mask, gave a nod. "His circuits belong to Megatron now."

The third grinned. "And we figured you might need some help, considering all those who still like Megatron are currently on their way here to tear you to shreds."

Skyfire frowned. "Who are 'we'?"

The first motioned to himself. "Shrapnel," to the grilled one. "Bombshell," and the last. "Kickback," he then motioned to the shadows. "And them, of course, course."

The dark shadows became illuminated as one pair of red optics powered up, and then another, and another. Soon mechs and femmes of different models and sizes, red optics burning, stepped from the shadows. They looked up as a few seeker models rose from between the buildings and stared down at them, along with larger shuttle models. Each faceplate was solemn, but held no menace. They waited.

"So," Bombshell started. "Where exactly _is_ Starscream, anyway?"

Skyfire turned to the others, who only shrugged. "We were…besieged by some older model seekers…"

"Ramjet, most likely," Kickback snorted. "I wouldn't worry, they aren't too bright." The other two mechs next to him gave suppressed chortles. "Although, if they were commanded out by Shockwave, then we should get going."

"Shockwave doesn't mess around, around," Shrapnel added.

"I saw Ramjet heading towards the border," Bombshell motioned away from them with his own weapon. "We should head out."

"Wait," Swindle motioned to Sideswipe. "What about him?"

The three mechs turned to Sideswipe, who still lay prone. They exchanged glances and then turned to the three newcomers. "Consider him dead, dead."

"He will never be what he once was."

"If he still functions, he will only be a drone."

Skyfire held up his hand. "Even so, we aren't leaving him. I'll carry him, since I can't fly right now."

"What about you, you?" Shrapnel asked, motioning towards Swindle and Wheeljack. "Can't you fly?"

"Uh…" Swindle looked to Wheeljack.

"We were injured," Wheeljack lied. "All of us."

"I can transport us." A purple mech stepped forward. "Although I'll be straining my subspace to accommodate you," he pointed to Skyfire. He transformed, turning into a rather large purple space freighter.

"Now _that_ is subspace management," Wheeljack muttered.

Kickback went to the open ramp and motioned inside. "Well? Let's go."

Skyfire held an arm out to halt the others when they moved to enter the freighter. "Sorry, but…how do we know you are not just going to transport us to Megatron?"

"None of us want to be slaves, slaves," Shrapnel hissed. He pointed to Sideswipe, whom Skyfire had moved to pick up. Skyfire looked into the offline optics of his friend. "This is what happens when you resist, resist."

"We want change, but none of us want to be drones," Astrotrain said.

"If Starscream can practice what he preaches," Bombshell added. "Without betraying us…"

"He's got the beginnings of an army," Kickback finished. "You can stay here all you want, but either way, we're going out of Kaon with Starscream."

Skyfire looked down at Sideswipe, then the others. "What do you think?"

"We ain't got much of a choice right now," Wheeljack shrugged.

Swindle shrugged. "If you trust me, then they can't be much worse."

Skyfire frowned and turned to the waiting red optics. "Alright. Let's go."

……………..

Prowl looked down at the map of Cybertron. Digital red symbols marked areas where Autobots were being recruited in large numbers. Digital purple symbols rested in large numbers in Kaon, and singularly in other parts of the world where it was known there was Decepticon activity, or even activity that could be attributed to Decepticons.

For now, the Decepticons were nothing more than a rebellious political group. They haven't done anything to warrant them as a threat, which was why, he surmised, Prime didn't seem to care.

There were Autobots in Kaon. They would not last this way. Aside from the police and a few military bots, and even academy instructors, the Autobots were just a bunch of civilians volunteering for something akin to a citizen militia. A witch hunt waiting to happen. Prime was hoping that community influence and fear of the wrath of peers would keep people loyal to the government regime.

Unfortunately, the Decepticons were not peers of the everyday civilian. Before even Sentinel Prime was created, there had been wars. No one knew why. There were no scars, no traces of this war save that older mechs would talk of it. They were referred to as the Great Wars, after which this Golden Age appeared. During this time, military states were established, and mechs were produced by the hundreds on assembly lines. Land troops, air troops. A mech was created to be his own mech, but also to follow orders. It seemed like a system that would work.

Except that they never stopped creating, and aside from military mechs, the ordinary citizen had also moved to mass production, although in lesser numbers. Prowl himself was of a very popular model, and most of the civilian police force was of his model. He could safely assume that there were several thousand of his "brothers" walking about Cybertron.

This became a detriment when energon began to run dry. Prowl had absolutely no doubt that Sentinel Prime had lied to his face. Jazz had told him of his inability to track down high grade. The military states were on an uprise, not because of political agenda, but because they were being starved.

The happy citizens of the world had no idea what was going on. Sentinel Prime himself most likely didn't know.

Or he did and he was going to let it happen.

"We have no choice."

_Then do it._

…………..

Skywarp woke to error messages, and glared up at Starscream. "Your aim sucks."

"Next time, don't try to take on Ramjet in mech mode then," Starscream spat back. "He only uses his head for one thing, and it's not processing." He tapped his helm with a finger for emphasis.

Thundercracker frowned and looked about. "Where'd the others go?"

"I don't know," Starscream looked at the night sky. "Skyfire is not answering my calls."

Skywarp stood. "Who knew getting out of Kaon would be harder than getting in? You'd think they liked us."

"I don't get it," Starscream mused, ignoring Skywarp. "Ramjet hates Megatron. Why now is he his most loyal warrior? The first to attack?"

"I wouldn't call that _loyalty…_"

"Maybe it's because you aren't working for Megatron," Thundercracker suggested. "Without you there, maybe he's taking on your role."

"Maybe. Either way, he's still annoying."

Just then the older jets crossed the sky again.

"It doesn't look like they quit, either," Skywarp said.

Starscream frowned. "Let me handle Ramjet. Press on the others and separate them. When I give you the word, I have Ramjet down, and then we'll take the others down with my null ray one by one. Got it?"

The two nodded, and the trine took off the meet their enemies.

………………………

Jazz's visor was still lit when Prowl exited the room he had sealed himself in. Prowl's residence was small and clean, with very little furniture or décor. In fact, there was one couch, which Jazz occupied with Ratchet offline on the other cushion in a very uncomfortable position. Sunstreaker and Ironhide were offline on the floor, leaning against the wall.

"I guess they couldn't take the suspense," Jazz said quietly. "What were ya doin' in there?"

"Thinking."

"Must've hurt." Jazz stood and stretched. "So what now, boss?"

"We move."

Jazz smirked. "Just when I thought you had that whole 'breakin' the rules' thing gone, you surprise me by disobeyin' _Prime_ of all mechs."

"Prime is a crook. He'd have us all slagged before we knew it."

The visored mech regarded his friend, not with admonishment but with amusement. "That's traitorous talk right there."

Prowl glared, his usual calm demeanor gone. "I don't know how a Prime gets into office, or how he is ousted, but his claims to the title are short lived. Today only proves he is a puppet." He moved towards his energon storage units on the far side of the room and took out a cube of energon. He offered it to Jazz, who shook his head. "The thing is, if it weren't for Starscream, we may not have even known that our own Prime was leading us to our deaths."

Sunstreaker powered up his optics a bit to see the two standing on the far side of the room, their optics and the energon being the only sources of light. He dimmed his optics and listened.

"That's a lot of accusations, 'specially comin' from you. How do you know all this is happenin'? Prime could be right. It could just be a buncha rumors…"

"Remember when we nearly closed your club because of the high grade license bill?"

"Well sure…"

"You were able to get a license, but many others didn't. It didn't seem at all strange to you when all of a sudden yours became the most popular club in Iacon?"

"Yeah, but it was part of the plan for the bust, Prowl. We set them up, an' I let you use my club, an' you got me that license. That doesn't mean…"

"High grade energon has been flowing through the docks of Iacon and going where, Jazz? Your storage under the club isn't big enough for the surplus of high grade moving through the cities illegally," he produced a datapad and showed it to Jazz. "We've been investigating purchases from Sideswipe. Even with his total of dealings, it still accounts for a small percentage of what is being traded. This energon is going somewhere, and it's not to illegal high grade."

Sunstreaker frowned but said nothing.

"We've also been tracking the illegal flow of energon back into Kaon, which _isn't_ high grade, and also the usual supplies for cities that have drastically reduced in the past five vorn. This has been going on for a long time."

"I don't like givin' the benefit of the doubt to the government, 'specially since they all got their heads so far up each other's exhausts ya can't tell where one ends and one begins, but what if there really is a shortage, Prowl?"

Prowl frowned. "Starved mechs and femmes don't sit there and do nothing. They do something, like the Decepticons and Starscream."

"So what're ya sayin'? Pull up arms next to one of them?"

"No. We replace the Prime."

Jazz scoffed. "What? With who?"

"It doesn't matter right now. Right now what matters is unifying the Autobots, not for the Prime but for Cybertron."

"How're we gonna do that?"

Prowl fidgeted. "I…don't know."

Jazz thought for a breem. "Ya know, Prowl, this is crazy, right?"

"Quite."

"Crazier than bein' a dirty cop, right? We could get killed doin' this. Convicted of treason and deactivated."

"Actually, traitors are tortured first and then deactivated." Prowl smirked.

"Oh, that makes it better."

"Are you saying you are afraid, Jazz?"

"Slag yeah, I am afraid. What if no one believes us? They're gonna take the word of the Prime over us."

"I am hoping my position as the head of the Autobot movement, directly under Prime, will assist us…"

"It just takes one snitch to pin us," Jazz leaned closer. "This ain't gonna make us any better than the Decepticons."

"I disagree. The Decepticons will use violence and hurt innocents…"

"If things get ugly, a lot of innocent people are gonna get hurt anyway."

"Being neutral right now is not going to solve our problems."

"I ain't bein' neutral. I just wanna make sure you know what you're getting into. All of us into. And…to see if you got some sorta plan."

Prowl fidgeted again, a clear sign that he did not have a plan.

Sunstreaker powered up his optics fully. "Why don't we find Starscream first?"

The two looked down at him.

"After all, both he and the Autobots oppose the Decepticons."

"What a younglin' thing to suggest," Ironhide said gruffly, announcing that he was awake. "You do that and you ain't no better than no slaggin' 'Con."

Ratchet slowly came online as well, and stared at them all bleakly. "What?"

"I dunno, he's gotta point," Jazz said. "We find him, we can find out what he knows. Find Sunny's bro, find out about the 'Cons and what they plan to do. I think that little military jet might know more than we think."

Prowl's mouth formed a thin line. He didn't like the idea, but the logic behind Sunstreaker's suggestion wasn't bad. They would gain more footholds, learn more, and possibly save the Autobot movement before it ended where it had started. But it would be underhanded. In the root of his processor he still believed that Starscream was up to no good.

"Ratchet, what do you think?"

Ratchet's optics flashed. "Well…it would be tough. Starscream is smart, smarter than you would like to think. I don't know how, but somehow what should have been a standard factory model was upgraded. He isn't crazy. Temperamental, yes, scheming and manipulative, most likely. The fact that he and Wheeljack know each other bothers me, but I do think that if Starscream put his mind to something, he would find a way to do it, legal or no." He looked at Prowl. "If your goal is stopping the Decepticons, you have something in common with Starscream. But I don't think, from what I've heard and learned, that Starscream wants to stop with the Decepticons. I don't even think that the Decepticons are his main agenda."

Prowl gave a nod. "That is why I am reluctant to 'join forces', in a way. There is a large chance that we could only be setting ourselves up to be used as a means to achieve whatever it is that Starscream wishes to achieve."

"But without him, we're comin' up empty. The military from Vos is comin' to Iacon," Jazz shook his head. "Now, I know mechs from Vos aren't as crazy as they are in Kaon, but still. Turnin' Iacon into a military state? How do we know that this Mega…what's his designation?"

"Megatron," the four said simultaneously.

"How do we know that Megatron doesn't have his influence in Vos as it is? It seems like we're vorns behind these guys."

"We are," Prowl said quietly. "We will fail if we don't act now. The last thing I want is a long lasting altercation."

Jazz frowned and crossed his arms. "So what do we do? Kaon ain't exactly 'round the corner. Gonna take us a while to get there."

Prowl nodded. "I have a contact who might help us very much. Two contacts, actually. Grab energon, and let's go. First we'll need to stop by my station. We're going to need weapons and programs."

……………..

Ramjet laughed and fired at Starscream, who banked to dodge the fire. "You realize you're never gonna get out of Kaon alive, right?"

"Either way, what's your reason for following Megatron? He hasn't a clue…!" Starscream took a few shots, but Ramjet similarly dodged. _Slag it, hold still…!_

"Because he isn't no fancy bred Vos manufacture, coming into Kaon talking like he knows how it is, when it's obvious he doesn't, like you!"

Starscream wished he were in robot mode just so he could shake his head, but continued his barrage of fire on the other jet. All he needed was one shot…

Two jets screamed by him, causing him to bank or risk hitting them, allowing Ramjet enough time to maneuver at him and ram him. This time Thundercracker wasn't there when the cityscape rushed at them, and soon they crashed into a building, breaking right through it and into the walkway beyond.

Starscream could feel the metal of the building and walkway tear into him, although the armor held for the most part. He tussled with the white jet, but the older jet soon backed off. "You coward…!" He sat up.

And saw himself surrounded by Shockwave and drones.

He scowled as blaster rifles were aimed toward his spark chamber.

……………..

The five vehicles pulled to a stop before the giant battle station surrounding the Crystal City. Beyond the tracks of the station were parked the Constructicons, obviously in recharge.

Prowl transformed, prompting the others to do so as well.

"Go no further," a large, booming voice rang out from the battle station. "Crystal City is under martial law. State your designation."

"Holy Primus on a stick," Ironhide blasphemed. "Is that what I think it is?"

"I'm Prowl," Prowl stated. "We need your help, Omega Supreme."

"Prowl," the voice boomed. "Commander of the Autobots." The ground gave a shake, and then the battle station started to transform. The five watched in awe as the tracks, rocket, and tank rearranged themselves into the figure of a guardian robot, tall and menacing, peering down at them through a protective face guard. "I have orders to accommodate you and your task force. What do you need?"

"Aren't you the protector of Crystal City?" Jazz asked.

"I am, but my friends the Constructicons," the guardian motioned to the purple and green mechs, who were now awake and were transforming. "Can also provide ample protection to Crystal City if I should have to leave."

"Why is the city under Martial Law?" Sunstreaker asked.

"After the destruction of most of Iacon's guardians, the senators and council members have fled here. With the forming of the Autobots, the terrorist activity seems to have abated for now."

"For now," Prowl frowned. "Because they're in Kaon, mustering their forces. Omega Supreme, we need your help getting us to Kaon. There we will merge with another task force much like our own, and amass the Autobot forces to stop the Decepticons before they can get here. Can you help us?"

Omega Supreme frowned and leaned down to get a closer look at the five. He turned his gaze to Prowl. "Is Sentinel Prime aware of what is happening in Kaon?"

Jazz scoffed, but Prowl ignored him. "Yes, he is aware. As you know, us Autobots have been charged with protecting Iacon, rallying the good citizens who wish to protect this way of life. I'm sure you'd agree with that sentiment, being a protector yourself."

"Agreed," Omega Supreme boomed simply. He turned to the Constructicons. "Guard Crystal City." The purple and green mechs nodded. The guardian turned back towards the others and once again transformed into his battle station form. The rocket opened up, the door becoming a ramp. "Please enter, and we will be on our way."

Prowl looked at the four. "This is your last chance to back out. You're all just normal citizens…and I'm asking you to become warriors."

"C'mon now, Prowl," Jazz slung an arm around Prowl's shoulder and held up a pistol. "You got us all outfitted with these shiny weapons, downloaded some fighting programs, and got us out here at crazy hours."

"I think if we wanted to say no, we woulda done it already," Ironhide finished, climbing up the ramp. "Now let's get goin', before there's nothin' left to do in Kaon but clean up the mess."

Jazz gave Prowl a pat on the shoulder and followed the others inside. Prowl gave one last look to Iacon in the distance behind his shoulder, then followed as well.


End file.
